The Worldly Marketer Podcast

John Yunker is a well-known pioneer in the field of web and software globalization, and, by now, one of the perennial contributors to this podcast. I've featured him on three previous episodes: #059, #182 and, most recently, #221. He is the Co-Founder & President of Byte Level Research, an agency that specializes in researching, promoting, and advising on best practices in website globalization. Based in Ashland, Oregon, John has been helping companies improve their global content, websites, and software since 2000. He has worked with many of the world's biggest multinational corporations, providing them with web-globalization training, specialized reports, and benchmark services. His Web Globalization Report Cards have become required reading for global brand leaders everywhere; these annual reports provide an up-to-date evaluation of how major global companies are performing relative to each other and to current industry best practices. Besides his client work, John writes the popular blog "Global by Design", and has authored several books, including "Beyond Borders: Web Globalization Strategies", the first book devoted to the emerging field of web globalization, and more recently, "Think Outside the Country: A Guide to Going Global and Succeeding in the Translation Economy". Here, John returns to the show to talk about his "2022 Web Globalization Report Card", which he published earlier this year. Tune in to the conversation, and learn about how the top global websites make sure that international visitors have the best experience possible.   Links: Byte Level Research website Byte Level Research on LinkedIn John's 2022 Web Globalization Report Card John's book “Beyond Borders” John's book “Think Outside the Country” John's blog “Global By Design” The Localization Institute LocWorld Conference MultiLingual Magazine John on LinkedIn John on Twitter

Andy Klump is a renewable energy executive with nearly two decades of experience living and working in Asia. He is the founder, owner, and CEO of Clean Energy Associates (CEA), a solar energy and storage advisory firm that specializes in technical due diligence and engineering services. Established in 2008, CEAnow employs over 175 professionals around the world, and has completed solar energy and storage projects in more than 65 countries so far. Originally from the U.S., Andy has a background in Economics and an MBA from the Harvard Business School. He relocated from Atlanta to Shanghai in 2002 and has been based in Asia ever since. Prior to founding his own company, he served as the Vice President of Business Development for Trina Solar, where he headed the company's international expansion plans covering supply chain, international business development, capital raising, and corporate development. Over a two-year period, he and his Trina Solarmanagement team successfully raised nearly $500 million in capital during the company's IPO and follow-on offerings on the New York Stock Exchange. In addition to his role as the head of CEA, Andy is a current board member of a couple of renewable energy startups, ion Ventures and Solar Inventions, and he has served as a board member of the U.S. Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA). He is also a co-founder and board member of the health-care focused non-profit organizations iDefine.org and KIDSIQProject.org. In this interview, Andy shares his personal career journey of relocating to China from the U.S., adapting to the local business culture, and eventually launching and scaling his own global company. He explains what the core purpose behind CEA is, and how he manages his growing international team. And he talks about some global and regional trends he's seeing in solar energy, and his perspective on the solar supply chain going forward. Tune in for Andy's valuable insights!   Links: CEA website CEA on LinkedIn CEA on Twitter Andy on LinkedIn  

Kathleen MacLean is the Head of Growth at ev.energy, a London-based Cleantech startup that empowers electric vehicle owners to charge their EV in a simpler, cheaper, and greener way. Launched in 2018, ev.energy's innovative app keeps track of when energy is least expensive and carbon-intensive, and balances user demand on the energy grid at peak times. As a Certified B Corporation, ev.energy is part of a global community of over 5,000 companies (and counting) that are reinventing business by pursuing purpose as well as profit. In early 2022, ev.energy extended its Series A funding to $12.8 Million, enabling it to pursue rapid growth in North America and around the world. In addition to its U.K. headquarters, ev.energy has now has an office Palo Alto, California, and employs a world-class team of over 60 people across Europe, North America and the Caribbean. Originally from Scotland, Kathleen has been based in London since 2012. She has over a decade of experience in marketing and brand management, and has worked both on the agency and on the client side for a variety of industries. She joined ev.energy at the beginning of 2021, and is now on a mission to help drive the decarbonization of transport. Besides her role at ev.energy, she is also a passionate TEDx'er and has volunteered as the Co-Licensee & Curator for TEDx Covent Garden Women in London. In this interview, Kathleen talks about the challenges and benefits of having a globally dispersed team, how she approaches international marketing strategy on a startup budget, and how she has adapted the ev.energy app's value proposition for each of the company's three core markets so far: the U.K., Germany, and California. Tune in for Kathleen's great insights!   Links: energy website energy on LinkedIn energy on Facebook energy on Instagram energy on Twitter Aaron Sweet on LinkedIn Kathleen on LinkedIn  

María González-Calvo de Miguel is the Global Lead for Marketing and Communications at Sonnedix, a multi-national Independent Power Producer (IPP) that develops, finances, builds, owns, and operates solar power plants around the globe. Founded in 2009, the company's purpose is to harness the power of the sun to build a bright future. Today, Sonnedix has 400 photovoltaic power plants in operation, construction or under development around the world, with a total production capacity of more than six GW of power. The company has over 400 employees across a dozen global offices, including in the U.K., Italy, France, Spain, Poland, the U.S., Chile, and Japan. Based in Madrid, María has over a decade of experience in branding, marketing, communications, PR, and media relations. She began her career in her native Spain in 2008, and then took the opportunity to live and work in the Philippines, in the Netherlands, and in the U.K. She joined Sonnedix in early 2020, when she took on her current role, and is now leading the company's international brand development – from market research and conceptualization, to the implementation of Sonnedix's communications plan and marketing campaigns. In this interview, María describes how Sonnedix is building a successful global brand through community engagement and innovative content strategies. She talks about the importance storytelling and adapting communications for different kinds of audiences around the world. And she explains why Sonnedix has started investing in the creation of educational content for the next generation of solar energy stakeholders. Tune in for María's fascinating insights!   Links: Sonnedix website Sonnedix on LinkedIn Sonnedix on Facebook Sonnedix on Instagram Sonnedix on YouTube Sonnedix on Twitter Sonnedix Sustainability Academy María on LinkedIn  

This episode is a special cross-post. As the producer & host of The Worldly Marketer Podcast, Kathrin Bussmann is usually the one asking the questions. But in early 2022, she was invited to be a guest on The International Business Podcast, and found herself on other side of the interview process. In conversation with Audrey Wagner, one of the podcast's co-hosts, Kathrin talks about her definition of ‘branding', the importance of having a global brand strategy in today's digital economy, how localization contributes to global business success, and why she chose to focus her consulting practice on the Cleantech sector. With kind permission from Audrey and her colleagues, Leonardo Marra and Stefano Santelmo, Kathrin is re-sharing the interview here, for the benefit of her Worldly Marketer Podcast listeners. She also encourages everyone to check out The International Business Podcast for many more interesting episodes on a wide variety of global business topics. Happy listening!   Links: The International Business Podcast The International Business Podcast on LinkedIn The International Business Podcast on Facebook  

This week, instead of bringing you a podcast interview, I'd like to share something a bit more personal. I'd like tell you about my father, Prof. Dr. Max G. Krell. In so many ways, he's the reason I'm the person I am today. My father was a nuclear physicist. He was born in 1935 in Lower Silesia, a region that was part of Germany before the Second World War and is now part of Poland. He studied Physics at the university of Erlangen, in Bavaria, which is where he met my mother. As newlyweds, they moved to Karlsruhe, another German university town, so that my father could pursue his doctorate. They then relocated to Geneva, where my father worked at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) for several years. Eventually, my father accepted a tenure-track position in the department of Physics at the Université de Sherbrooke in Quebec. Leaving behind all their family and friends, my parents immigrated to Canada. My mother was almost eight months pregnant at the time, and I was born about a month after they had settled into their small apartment near the university campus. My father had a three-decades long career as a science professor in Sherbrooke. He finally retired in 1999, and happily devoted himself to his 100-acre hobby farm. He had bought the property, a ten-minute drive from the university, when I was two years old. It was a perfectly square, partially forested piece of land, with an old “saltbox” style farmhouse, a barn, and a couple of ponds. This was the backdrop of my childhood. To my father, that farm was his very own piece of Paradise, something he could have never afforded if he had stayed in Germany. He often told me about his own childhood, vividly remembering the years around World War II. At the end of the war, he and his family had had to flee their village and head west to safety, with basically just the clothes on their backs and whatever they could carry on foot. The years right after the war, his formative years, were especially difficult. His family had to start all over in a new town, mourning loved ones lost in the war, rebuilding their lives from scratch, and food was in short supply. I suppose that's why my father was obsessed with the idea of having his own land and being as food self-sufficient as possible. My mother, whose family had also had to flee westward at the end of the war, was on the same page. Thinking back now, I realize what a wonderfully idyllic childhood I had, growing up in the beautiful countryside of the Eastern Townships – though I often dreamed of city life, especially as a teenager. We had a huge vegetable garden, fruit trees, berry shrubs, beehives, a small herd of sheep, rabbits, ducks, geese, and more. I was immersed in the natural world, seeing things grow around me, planting things, harvesting things, witnessing the cycle of life, and knowing exactly where most of my food came from. For my father, the proximity to nature combined with his training as a scientist, also led to environmental activism. In my teens, I remember several citizen-led, pro-environmental initiatives that my father helped launch and organize, which were driven by the prospect of local authorities making potentially disastrous decisions. All through my youth, I witnessed my father fight stubbornly, unflinchingly for what he believed was right, even when it meant opposing the powers-that-be. He taught me some very important lessons about stepping up when it matters and fighting for the greater good. He shaped the core values that I carry with me as an adult: a belief in science, in justice, in personal integrity, and in social responsibility. On April 16th, 2002, exactly three years into his retirement, my father died unexpectedly of a massive stroke. He never got to meet his only grandchild, who was born the year after his death. But I know he would have been so incredibly proud. He also never got to see me launch my own business. But I know he would have been extremely supportive and interested, especially with regards to my new focus on Cleantech. No doubt whatsoever, he would have had a lot to say about the inherent risks of nuclear energy as an alternative to fossil fuels. I wish he was still with us. This Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday, marks the 20th anniversary of my father's passing. On the one hand, I can't believe it's already been 20 years. On the other hand, so much has happened in those years – many things that would absolutely amaze and thrill him, and other things that would completely outrage and dismay him. I'm pretty sure that if he were still alive, at the age of 87, he'd be as involved as ever in his local community of environmental activists. My father was a man of strong principles, deep moral convictions, and a level of personal integrity that seems all too rare these days. He believed in fairness, honesty, and accountability. And he wasn't afraid to say unpopular things if he felt that truth and justice were at stake. I'm incredibly proud to be his daughter. In so many ways, his legacy is what drives me now. So this Easter long weekend, I will celebrate my father's life, and I will remember all the things that made him a such wonderful dad and a truly great human being. Whether you're celebrating Easter, Passover, Ramadan, or Songkran, I hope that you're able to spend it with family or friends, sharing memories of loved ones who have passed, and cherishing your time together. Kathrin

Simon Kemp is a global authority on how people use the Internet. As Founder & CEO at Kepios, a strategy consultancy, he helps organizations all over the world to make sense of what people are really doing online, to identify changes in digital behaviour, and to understand how these trends will impact their success. Originally from Scotland, Simon has been based in Singapore since 2007. In parallel to his work at Kepios, he is also the Chief Analyst at DataReportal, an online reference library of up-to-date reports that explore people's digital behaviours globally, regionally, and by country. These free reports, which he produces in collaboration with Hootsuite and We Are Social, provide current information on everything from Internet penetration rates to online activities such as mobile usage, social-media habits, e-commerce adoption, and much more. Simon has been featured on eight previous episodes of this podcast, most recently about a year ago, on episode #213. You could say that he has become a perennial guest of the show, and he's always a pleasure to catch up with. In this interview, he returns to the show to talk about his Digital 2022 Global Overview Report and Local Country Reports, and he shares his analysis of some of the more remarkable data points. As always, the numbers tell an interesting story of what people around the world are actually doing online. And once again, Simon's findings will likely present a challenge to many marketers' assumptions. Tune in and prepare to be surprised!   Links: DataReportal website Digital 2022 Global Overview Report Digital 2022 Country Reports Digital 2022 Deep Dives GSMA: “The State of Mobile Internet Connectivity” report A4AI: “Advancing Meaningful Connectivity” report Hootsuite website WeAreSocial website GWI website Simon's articles on The Next Web Kepios website Simon on LinkedIn Simon on Twitter  

Michelle Carvill is a strategic marketer and entrepreneur, as well as a successful speaker, podcaster, and author. Her latest book, published in 2021, is called Sustainable Marketing – How to Drive Profits with Purpose. In parallel to the book, which she co-authored with Gemma Butler and Geraint Evans, she has developed training programs for the Chartered Institute of Marketing to ensure that sustainability is firmly on the marketing education agenda. Michelle has also developed a certified "Carbon Literacy Training for Marketers", and she is creating conversations around sustainable marketing through the podcast she co-hosts called Can Marketing Save the Planet? Based in the U.K., Michelle began her career in marketing over three decades ago. Today, she has numerous awards and recognitions to her name, and is leading her very own digital agency, Carvill Creative, which she founded in 2002. As an agency owner, Michelle's focus is on helping organizations to develop a strong digital presence through robust and highly human digital and social-media marketing strategies. She also leads a social enterprise called The Preventative Healthcare Service, and she's a Co-Founder & Partner at The Online Digital Academy. Through her body of work and her Sustainable Marketer Manifesto, which is a sort of Hippocratic oath for responsible marketing, Michelle is at the vanguard of the movement to make marketing a force for good. She believes that the need to focus on sustainability has never been more urgent for businesses and marketers. In her view, there's no one better placed to affect change, align with and influence customers, and drive hope for a better, more sustainable future, than an ‘educated and aware' responsible marketer. In this interview, Michelle talks about how consumers' expectations around sustainability have evolved over the past 30 years, how brands around the world are rising to the challenge, and why marketing professionals have a crucial role to play in creating a more sustainable economy. She also shares some key takeaways from her book, Sustainable Marketing.   Links Carvill Creative website Can Marketing Save the Planet? website Book: “Sustainable Marketing – How to Drive Profits with Purpose” Podcast: “Can Marketing Save the Planet?” Sustainable Marketer Manifesto B Corp website Book: “Corporate Social Responsibility Is Not Public Relations” by Sangeeta Waldron Richard Hagan's net-zero manufacturing business, Crystal Doors Michelle's personal website Michelle on LinkedIn Michelle on Facebook Michelle on Instagram Michelle on Twitter  

Chris Coulter is the CEO at GlobeScan, an international insights and advisory consultancy that works at the intersection of brand purpose, sustainability, and trust. Founded in 1987 and headquartered in Toronto, Canada, GlobeScan's purpose is to co-create a sustainable and equitable future. It partners with leading businesses, NGOs, and governmental organizations to deliver insights that guide decision-making, and to build strategies that contribute to a sustainable and equitable world. More than three decades into its mission, GlobeScan now has a global network of experts, as well as offices around the world, including in Cape Town, Hong Kong, London, Mumbai, Paris, San Francisco, and São Paulo. GlobeScan is a participant of the UN Global Compact, and it is also a Certified B Corp. Based at GlobeScan's headquarters in Toronto, Chris has over 15 years of experience in providing evidence-based counsel to leadership organizations at the nexus of reputation, brand, and sustainability. He is a specialist in international relations, and has lived and worked in North America, Europe, and Asia. Besides his role as CEO at GlobeScan, Chris is the Director of the GlobeScan Foundation, a Board Member at CBSR (Canadian Business for Social Responsibility), a Council Member at SustainAbility (a think tank), and a Board Member at Good World Solutions. Along with David Grayson and Mark Lee, he is also the co-author of The Sustainable Business Handbook: A guide to becoming more innovative, resilient and successful, published in February 2022. In this interview, Chris talks about how GlobeScan is working with partners around the world to accelerate the transition to a more sustainable global economy, and what trends he's seeing among big multinationals when it comes to setting and reaching ESG targets. He also shares his insights into why it's so important for global-minded companies to take a long-term view of growth, and why markets outside their comfort zone may in fact hold the biggest future opportunities. Last but not least, he shares some of the top takeaways from his new book. Tune in!   Links: GlobeScan website GlobeScan on LinkedIn GlobeScan on Twitter “The Sustainable Business Handbook” on the Kogan Page website Authors' “All In” website All In – The Sustainable Business Podcast Chris on LinkedIn Chris on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by The Globalization and Localization Association (GALA).

Bettina Grab has over 15 years of experience in global B2B tech marketing. She is the President at Alder & Co., a leading marketing agency that works exclusively with cleantech and climate-tech companies. Founded in 2014 and headquartered in Portland, Oregon, Alder & Co.'s mission is to advance the adoption of climate technologies until they become universal. Originally from Germany, Bettina has a background in communication sciences, international relations, and journalism. She began her marketing career in 2004, and worked at some large German IT & media enterprises, before relocating to London, U.K., in 2011.  There, she had a chance to hone her expertise in global marketing and global brand management at a couple of international outsourcing and offshoring companies. Then, just before the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Bettina relocated to the U.S., and settled down in the San Francisco Bay area. There, she founded her own marketing consultancy, which focused on serving Cleantech and climate tech companies. She also launched a blog and eco-activism platform called bluegreen.blog. Finally, in 2021, she joined forces with fellow west-coast agency owner Melanie Adamson, when she had the opportunity to take on the role of President & Partner at Alder & Co. In her role at Alder & Co., Bettina now drives business development for the agency and advises clients on growth marketing strategies. She is also a guest lecturer for cleantech marketing at the Presidio Graduate School in San Francisco, and serves as Cleantech Open's National Marketing Chair. Along with Melanie Adamson, Bettina is also the co-founder of ToFu, a substack newsletter and membership community for cleantech and climate tech marketing professionals. In this interview, Bettina talks about why she's so passionate about her work, how good marketing empowers climate tech companies to make a bigger impact, why B2B marketing strategy may need to differ significantly for the U.S. versus the U.K. or Germany, what current trends she has noticed in the nascent field of cleantech marketing, and how North American scale-ups should approach their expansion into Europe. Tune in!   Links: Alder & Co. website Alder & Co. on LinkedIn Alder & Co. on Instagram Alder & Co. on Twitter ToFu newsletter & membership community Women in Cleantech & Sustainability Bettina's blog: “bluegreen – zero waste living” Bettina on LinkedIn Bettina on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA).

Dr. Michael E. Smith is an applied cognitive neuroscientist and consumer insights professional, who studies the connection between brain function, human behaviour and the decisions we make as consumers. Based in San Diego, California, he is the Founder and Principal Scientist at Adaptation Research, a boutique consultancy that he launched in 2017. He is also an Advisory Board Member at CloudArmy Neuro, a Vancouver-based software company that provides on online neuro-powered marketing research platform. Before starting his own firm, Michael served as Vice President of Consumer Neuroscience at Nielsen, the market-leading consumer research firm. Previous roles include that of President at CorTechs Labs Inc, a medical devices company; Program Director in Cognitive Neuroscience at the US National Science Foundation; and Principal Neuroscientist at SAM Technology, where he directed research programs in the field of Neuroergonomics. I've had the pleasure of featuring Michael on this podcast once before, on episode #095, when we discussed how consumer neuroscience applies to global marketing. In his current work, he is focused on identifying how the latest insights into human behaviour and consumer decision-making can help speed the transition to a more circular economy. And on that topic, he recently published a book called Inspiring Green Consumer Choices: Leverage Neuroscience to Reshape Marketplace Behavior. In this in interview, Michael discusses the reasons behind the global “intention-action” gap when it comes to sustainable consumer behaviours, why consumer habits are so difficult to change, and how green brands can become more competitive in the marketplace. He also explains why the value proposition of a green brand may need to be adapted for different cultures, why brands should avoid greenwashing at all costs, and how marketers and policy makers can work together to incentivize greener consumer choices. You won't want to miss this fascinating conversation!   Links: Michael's book: “Inspiring Green Consumer Choices” GlobeScan “Insight of the Week”: the Aspiration-Action Gap Michael on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA).

Emily Rakowski is the Chief Marketing Officer at EcoVadis, the world's most trusted sustainability ratings provider. Launched in 2007 and headquartered in Paris, EcoVadis helps businesses reduce risk and drive performance & innovation in their supply chain by evaluating their environmental, labor & human rights, sustainable procurement, and fair-trading practices. The EcoVadis methodology, which is built on international CSR standards, covers over 200 industries across more than 160 countries. The organization now has nine offices around the globe, and it works with over 85,000 companies, including global brands such as Verizon, Johnson & Johnson, Subway, Coca Cola, Salesforce, Renault-Nissan, ING Bank, and Nokia. With a B.A. in International Relations from Stanford University and an MBA from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management, Emily has over 25 years of experience in sourcing and procurement solutions.  She spent many years in global marketing and demand management with both SAP and Ariba, and also worked in leadership roles at Ellucian, Kearney Procurement Solutions, Creative Good, and Kearney Consulting, where she managed marketing functions and consulting engagements for clients in the high technology, banking and energy industries. Now based in the greater Washington D.C. area, Emily leads a global team of professionals, who cover all aspects of EcoVadis' B2B marketing, supporting the company's annual revenue growth, and helping to drive the overall business strategy. She was also instrumental in the success of EcoVadis' $200M funding round back in January 2020. In this interview, Emily discusses the challenges of building a brand that engages stakeholders around the world and working with a globally dispersed marketing team. She also talks about the evolving language of Sustainability, and the trends she's seeing in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Corporate Governance) conscienciousness among big global brands today. Tune in!   Links: EcoVadis website EcoVadis Resources site EcoVadis on LinkedIn EcoVadis on Facebook EcoVadis on Instagram EcoVadis on Twitter Emily on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA).

Cynthia Dearin is the Founder & Managing Director at Dearin & Associates, an international business consulting company that helps its clients to access opportunities in fast-growing international markets. I've had the pleasure of featuring her on a previous episode of this podcast, namely episode #174, which came out back in early 2020. Based in Sydney, Australia, Cynthia launched her consulting firm in 2013, and now works with a variety of manufacturing and tech companies that are looking to succeed in overseas markets. As an extension of her consultancy, my guest has also launched the International Business Accelerator, which helps SMEs speed up and de-risk their international expansion process, and get their products and services to the world. From her early career as a diplomat, through her years working as a legal advisor and management consultant, Cynthia has now accumulated two decades of international experience. She has lived in France, the U.K., the U.S., North Africa, and the Middle East, besides her native Australia, and she speaks three different languages. In addition to her consulting work, Cynthia is a successful keynote speaker, podcaster, and best-selling author. Her most recent book, which was published in 2021, is called Business Beyond Borders: How to Take Your Company Global. In this interview, I talk with Cynthia about how the pandemic has affected her consultancy and her clients' international business efforts, and we dive into some of the top takeaways from her new book. Tune into our conversation!   Links: Dearin & Associates website Dearin & Associates on LinkedIn Dearin & Associates on YouTube International Business Accelerator Cynthia's book “Business Beyond Borders” on Amazon Business Beyond Borders podcast #GoGlobal Blog Cynthia on LinkedIn Cynthia on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA).

Saleem Ahamed is the Chief Marketing Officer at Plastic Bank, an organization that is helping the world to stop ocean plastic, while improving the lives of those who help collect it. Founded in 2013 and headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia, Plastic Bank's mission is to empower the regenerative society by building ethical recycling ecosystems in coastal communities and reprocessing the materials for reintroduction into the global manufacturing supply chain. Currently, the company operates in Haiti, Brazil, Indonesia, the Philippines, and Egypt, and works with over 17,000 collectors. So far, Plastic Bank has stopped over one billion plastic bottles from entering our oceans. That's over 20 million kilograms of plastic waste. With a background in business and marketing, Saleem began his career over 25 years ago, working for Procter & Gamble in Europe. After more than a decade with Procter & Gamble, he joined Johnson & Johnson, where he eventually became Worldwide Director of Global Strategic Marketing. In 2012, he decided to launch a business of his own, as Co-Founder and CEO of Silver Health Systems, a valet dental care company. After four years of this entrepreneurial hiatus, he rejoined Johnson & Johnson to take on a series of senior leadership roles – including that of Global CMO – in the company's Diabetes Care division. In 2019, Saleem transitioned into the Cleantech space, when he took on the role of Chief Marketing Officer at Terramera, a Vancouver-based AgTech company focused on applying AI solutions to agricultural problems. Finally, in early 2020, he joined the team at Plastic Bank in his current position of CMO. In this interview, Saleem talks about why Plastic Bank set up its operations in the countries where it did, the importance of driving the value proposition through strategic brand management, and how the organization now creates value on multiple levels for different types of stakeholders – from local plastic collectors to multinational corporate partners.   Links: Plastic Bank website Plastic Bank on LinkedIn Plastic Bank on Facebook Plastic Bank on Instagram Plastic Bank on YouTube Plastic Bank on Twitter CEO David Katz's TED Talk Saleem on LinkedIn   This epsiode was sponsored by the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA).

Laurence (Larry) Minsky is an advertising & marketing consultant with clients throughout the globe. He is also a full-time Associate Professor in the Communication Department at Columbia College Chicago. With a background in psychology, Larry started his career as an advertising copywriter over 35 years ago. He went on the become a creative director and marketing strategist, and eventually launched his own consultancy in 2003. Over the course of his career, Larry has worked with for many of the world's top brands. He is known for developing effective cross-channel solutions that boost marketing ROI for his clients, and his work has been recognized with more than 125 industry awards. His client experience ranges from the Fortune 500, to startups and non-profits. Some of the global brands he has worked with include Amazon, GE, Kraft, McDonald's, and Unilever – to name just a few. Last but not least, Larry is a successful author. His articles have been published by the Harvard Business Review, the European Business Review, and MarketingProfs, among others. He is also the author and co-author of several books on marketing & advertising, most recently Global Brand Management: A guide to developing, building and managing an international brand, which he co-authored with global branding expert Ilan Geva.   Links: Larry's book: “Global Brand Management” Larry's author page on Amazon Sean Duffy on episode #222 re. international brand strategy James Ellis on episode #201 re. global employer branding Datareportal.com article on voice search and other online search trends Larry on LinkedIn   The Worldly Marketer Podcast is a Verbaccino production.  

Anna N. Schlegel is the VP of Product, International and Globalization at Procore Technologies, a company that provides cloud-based project-management software for the construction industry. Founded in 2003 and headquartered in California, Procore's mission is to connect everyone in construction on a global platform. With nine offices on three continents, the company now employs 2,500 people globally. Hundreds of thousands of users around the world rely on Procore's collaborative, multilingual suite of tools to manage all types of large-scale construction projects more efficiently and more profitably. In the world of software globalization, Anna almost needs no introduction. I've had the pleasure of featuring her on this podcast twice previously. She is a recognized expert in Global Product Management and Enterprise Globalization Strategy, and she's one of the most well-known personalities in the Localization industry. She has been blazing a trail in Silicon Valley for over 25 years now, with many impressive achievements and accolades earned along the way. Before joining Procore earlier this year, she spent more than a decade driving global growth at NetApp, the Fortune-500 tech company known for hybrid cloud data services and data management. Previous tech companies that benefitted from her expertise include VMWare, VeriSign, Xerox, and Cisco Systems. Throughout her distinguished career, Anna has always taken the time to give back to her profession, perhaps most notably as an original Co-Founder and past President of Women in Localization, the leading professional organization for women and their allies in the localization industry (cf. episode #035). She is also involved with a number of economic development initiatives with her native region of Catalonia. Last but not least, Anna is the author of Truly Global: The Theory and Practice of Bringing Your Company to International Markets. She originally published her book in 2016, and just recently launched a revised edition. In this interview, Anna explains why Procore Technologies has prioritized international growth as its #1 strategic initiative, how Anna is applying her three decades of experience to help the company achieve its global business objectives, and why she feels so passionate about developing stakeholder management and business savvy as part of true leadership in globalization. She also talks about new learnings that she has included in the recently-updated edition of her book, Truly Global, and she shares some valuable advice for today's ambitious tech CEOs.   Links: Procore Technologies website Procore Technologies on LinkedIn Procore Technologies on Instagram Procore Technologies on Facebook Procore Technologies on YouTube Procore Technologies on Twitter Anna's Truly Global Business website Anna's book “Truly Global” on the FriesenPress website Women in Localization website Aula Magna Business School website Aula Magna Business School on LinkedIn Anna on LinkedIn Anna on Twitter   The Worldly Marketer Podcast is a Verbaccino production.

Andy Andersen drives international growth at Tinder, the world's most popular app for meeting new people. Headquartered in Los Angeles, California, Tinder was introduced almost ten years ago, on a college campus, and has since evolved into the highest grossing non-gaming app globally. It is now available in 190 countries and over 40 languages, has been downloaded more than 450 million times since its launch, and has led to more than 65 billion matches – including more than 145 million new matches via its ‘More Genders' feature.   Originally from Louisiana, Andy has a background in business and international studies, and he is fluent in English and Spanish. He has had a very interesting career path. In 2012, while he was still a university student at Louisiana State University (and the same year that Tinder got started), he launched a blog called Backpacking Diplomacy, which was focused on everything global from general travel tips to in-depth cultural immersion.   After a brief stint in Puerto Rico working in the hospitality industry, Andy relocated to Brooklyn in 2014 to take on the role of Linguist Recruiter at a New York-based language services company catering to the legal services industry. His foray on the vendor side of the translation & localization industry lasted the better part of three years. In 2017, Andy transitioned to the client side when he joined Tinder as Localization Program Manager, and he has been at the company ever since. In his current role, he is centred on international growth, and works with a team of 15 in-house specialists.   Besides his role at Tinder, Andy is an International Growth Consultant at AppLocalization.io, a consulting group of working international growth professionals, who help products reach the world through strategically customized localization, product, and user acquisition tactics.     Links: Tinder website Tinder on LinkedIn More on the “Underwear Effect” More on web globalization best practices AppLocalization.io website AppLocalization.io on LinkedIn Andy's blog: “Backpacking Diplomacy” Andy on LinkedIn     The Worldly Marketer Podcast is a Verbaccino production.

Sean Duffy is an international brand strategist and the Founder of Duffy Agency, a strategic marketing agency that specializes in international brand development. Headquartered in Malmö, Sweden, Duffy Agencyworks to fill the expertise gap that business typically experience as they set out to compete on an international stage. The agency has worked with clients from over 30 different countries and has collaborated with partner agencies in 50 other cities around the world. As CEO, Sean divides his time between Duffy Agency's main office in Sweden and its U.S. office in Boston, MA. Born and raised in the U.S., Sean has over 30 years of experience working in strategic marketing. He began his career in Boston as a copywriter with BBDO, the global advertising agency, and later worked as Creative Director for an ad agency in San Francisco. In 1991, he moved to Stockholm, to work as Creative Director at Sweden's largest ad agency, Lowe Brindfors, which is now part of the Mullen Lowe Group. After 10 years with Lowe working exclusively on international marketing, he decided to launch his own agency. In addition to his role at Duffy Agency, Sean is a Lecturer & Practitioner in Residence at the Lund University School of Economics & Management and a Mentor in their Masters Program in Entrepreneurship. He is also a frequent speaker on strategic international marketing and online brand management, and he draws on his experience working with dozens of global brands including IKEA, The United Nations, Saab, Volvo, Absolut, VF Corporation, Pfizer, and GSK.  Last but not least, Sean is the author of an excellent new book called International Brand Strategy: A Guide to Achieving Global Brand Growth.   Links: Duffy Agency website Duffy Agency on LinkedIn Duffy Agency on Facebook Duffy Agency on Instagram Duffy Agency on Twitter Sean's book: “International Brand Strategy: A Guide to Achieving Global Brand Growth” (If you purchase this book via the Kogan Page website, you'll receive a 20% discount by entering the special offer code INTBRAND20 during the checkout process.) Sean on LinkedIn Sean on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

John Yunker is a well-known pioneer in the field of web and software globalization, and he has been featured on two previous episodes of this podcast: episodes #059 and #182. He is the Co-Founder & President of Byte Level Research, an agency based in Ashland, Oregon, that specializes in researching, promoting and advising on best practices in web globalization. For over two decades now, John has been helping companies improve their global content, their websites, and their software through specialized reports, consulting, speaking and training sessions. He has worked with many of the world's largest multinational corporations, providing them with web-globalization training and benchmark services. In addition to his client work, John writes a well-known blog called Global by Design, and he is the author ofseveral books, including “The Savvy Client's Guide to Translation Agencies, The Art of the Global Gateway”, “Beyond Borders: Web Globalization Strategies”, and most recently, “Think Outside the Country: A Guide to Going Global and Succeeding in the Translation Economy”. But he is perhaps best known for his annual Web Globalization Report Cards, which provide an up-to-date evaluation of how major global companies are performing relative to each other and to current industry best practices. In this episode, John returns to the show to talk about his 2021 Web Globalization Report Card, which he published earlier this year. Tune in to learn about which global companies are leading the way when it comes to website globalization best practices, what they're doing to attract and retain more international visitors, and what some takeaways are for companies in the earlier stages of international growth.   Links: Byte Level Research website Byte Level Research on LinkedIn Byte Level Research on Twitter The 2021 Web Globalization Report Card Global By Design blog The Localization Institute class: “ReadySetGo: Global Navigation” John on LinkedIn John on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Ramsey Pryor is the Founding Partner at Port of Entry Partners, a consultancy that helps tech companies conquer international markets. Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, he works with his clients to define their expansion strategy, understand the local market conditions, localize their product offerings, hire world-class talent, build brand awareness, win top accounts, and evolve as a truly global organization. With a background in Economics, Hispanic Studies, and Marketing, Ramsey has over 20 years of experience working at technology companies large and small. Before launching his own consultancy in 2021, he spent five years leading International Expansion & Sales at Branch Metrics, the third Fastest-Growing Company in North America on Deloitte's 2020 Technology Fast 500 list. During his tenure at Branch, he grew the company's international footprint from zero to over 100 employees and opened 12 global offices across LATAM, EMEA, and APAC. In addition to his consulting work, Ramsey is a frequent speaker on international expansion, and he is a founding member of International Mastermind, a peer network of global operators from companies including Spotify, Shopify, Squarespace, Asana, HubSpot and other leading tech companies. He also recently launched The International Expansion Podcast, where he talks with industry colleagues about their experiences, learnings, and best practices around taking tech companies global. Tune in for Ramsey's valuable insights on how today's startups are going from zero to international faster than ever, and how they can manage the inherent challenges rapid global growth.   Links: Port of Entry Partners website Port of Entry Partners on LinkedIn International Mastermind website International Mastermind on LinkedIn The Internal Expansion Podcast Ramsey on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Giulia Greco is the Localization Programs Lead at Shopify, the leading global ecommerce company headquartered in Ottawa, Canada. Founded in 2006, Shopify is the all-in-one commerce platform to start, run, and grow a business. Its mission is to make commerce better for everyone, everywhere. It now powers over 1.7 million businesses in more than 175 countries, and has over 5,000 employees across the globe. Shopify is trusted by brands such as Allbirds, Gymshark, PepsiCo, Staples, and many more. Originally from Milan, Italy, Giulia has a background in translation and interpreting. She moved to Canada in 2002, and settled down in Toronto. In 2016, she joined the Shopify team in the role of Content & Localization Manager for Italian, and eventually took on the role of Localization Program Manager. In her current role, she manages the localization operations in the Marketing & Growth team, including video localization, plus several in-country editors, linguists, translators, copywriters and a Language Service Provider. In this interview, Giulia talks about the role of internationalization and localization in Shopify's incredible growth; the challenge of working with globally distributed teams; the inherent tension between building the company's global brand identity and the need for hyper-localized content; what a minimum viable Localization team should look like; and how, in 2020, the “Shopify Effect” was responsible for $307 billion in global economic activity.   Links: Shopify website Shopify blog (English) Article: “The Shopify Effect: How Entrepreneurs Are Changing the World” Shopify podcasts (English) Shopify on LinkedIn Shopify on Facebook Shopify on Instagram Shopify on YouTube Shopify on Twitter Giulia on LinkedIn Giulia on Twitter   This epsiode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Kathryn Read is an international sales & marketing consultant and a Partner at Uniconsult-Wick & Partner, which is a business management and export consultancy based in Austria. She has over two decades of experience developing niche products in emerging markets, and helping small and medium-size companies to break through international barriers, thereby creating successful entrepreneurs and a thriving global marketplace. Originally from the U.K., Kathryn has a background in French and German language studies, and she is extremely well travelled. She began her export career back in 1995, working at a British auto-parts manufacturer in Nottingham. In 2000, Kathryn relocated to Austria to take on a cross-border sales role at Trodat, which is a globally successful consumer goods company, and she has made her home in Austria ever since. In 2001, she joined HiPP, the European organic baby food company, and spent several years leading the brand's international sales efforts into Central and Eastern Europe as well as Asia, including China. Kathryn firmly believes that business is done between people, and therefore she focuses on building strong relationships that form a solid foundation for doing business. I've had the pleasure of getting to know her better over the past year or so, and I always appreciate her authenticity, her genuine curiosity about people and cultures, and the kind, thoughtful way she approaches everything she does.   Links: Kathryn's website Kathryn's blog Kathryn's e-book: How to Decide Which International Markets to Enter” Uniconsult-Wick & Partner website Uniconsult-Wick & Partner YouTube channel Kathryn on LinkedIn Kathryn on Instagram   This epsiode waws sponsored by Vistatec.

Anastasia Leng is the Founder & CEO at CreativeX, a technology company whose mission is to advance creative expression through the clarity of data. Launched in 2015, CreativeX uses analytics tools to help Fortune 500 brands like Unilever, Mondelez, Heineken, ABI, Google, L'Oréal, and Pepsi to measure the efficiency, the consistency, and the impact of their visual marketing content across the globe. Fluent in three languages, Anastasia has been a nomad all her life. She has lived in Bahrain, Vietnam, Hungary, Russia, France, England, and currently makes her home in New York City. With a background in psychology and sociology, she began her career in marketing in 2005. She joined Google in 2007 as a Product Marketing Manager, and eventually took on the role of New Business Development Manager, EMEA, where she led entrepreneurship efforts in Europe, Africa, and the Middle East, and was responsible for early-stage partnerships for Google Voice, Chrome, and Wallet. In 2012, Anastasia launched herself into entrepreneurship when she co-founded Hatch.co, an e-commerce company that was selected as one of Time Magazine's "Top 10 Startups to Watch in New York", one of TimeOut NY's "Best New Shopping Sites of 2013", as well as one of the four most innovative retail companies by the National Retail Federation. In this interview, Anastasia talks about why it's so important for global brands to ensure quality and consistency across their creative marketing assets, how CreativeX helps Fortune 500 brands solve specific pain points around their visual content, and how she is successfully managing the international growth of her own company. Catch Anastasia's valuable insights!   Links: CreativeX website CreativeX Blog CreativeX on LinkedIn CreativeX on Twitter Anastasia on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Rachel Carruthers is the Head of Internationalisation and Localisation at Canva, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) company that makes graphic design simple for everyone. Since launching in 2013, Canva has grown to become one of the top 20 unicorn companies in the world, with a current valuation of $15 billion dollars USD. Canva now has over 50 million monthly active users across 190 countries and 100 different languages. More than 1,400 team members work together across continents to achieve the company's mission, which is to empower everyone in the world to design anything and publish anywhere. Originally from California, Rachel spent several years working on the vendor side of the Localization industry, servicing high-profile tech enterprise clients in Silicon Valley. In 2015, she moved to Sydney, Australia, to pursue a Master's degree at the University of Sydney, and she never left. After a brief stint at a digital marketing agency, Rachel joined Canva in 2017. In her current role, she is responsible for ensuring that every Canva user has a truly localized experience, be it on the Web App, iOS or Android platform. She and her team also ensure that the company's marketing efforts are localized, that there is a variety of region-specific content for Canva's design community, and that designs are relevant and fitting for each market around the world. In this interview, Rachel talks about the major global-growth milestones that Canva has achieved since its founding, the role of internationalization and localization in facilitating that growth, and the importance of international, non-English-speaking user for the company's bottom line today. She also talks about how Canva's investment in localization directly reflects its commitment to accessibility, diverse representation and inclusion – core values that are inherent to the company's mission. On a variety of levels, Canva represents an incredibly valuable case study for SaaS companies everywhere.   Links: Canva main website Canva Learn (Courses, Tutorials & Blog) Canva Design School Canva on LinkedIn Canva on Facebook Canva on Instagram Canva on YouTube Canva on Pinterest Canva on Twitter Nataly Kelly article: "100 Languages and Counting: International Growth at Canva" CBInsights: "The Complete List of Unicorn Companies" (May 2021 status) Rachel on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Mulumba Lwatula is an entrepreneur, a business consultant, and a technologist based in Lusaka, Zambia. He is the Acting Deputy Head of Investments (Mining, Manufacturing & Agribusiness) at IDC (Industrial Development Corporation), a state-owned enterprise whose mandate is to spearhead the Zambian Government's commercial investments agenda aimed at strengthening the country's industrial base and job creation. With an MBA and a background in Systems Analysis and Design, Mulumba has built a deep expertise in the development and delivery of technology-driven solutions in emerging markets on the African continent. Since beginning his career over 20 years ago, he has gone from as a Developer, to a Webmaster, to an IT company co-founder, to an Independent Consultant for the United Nations, he has founded a number of companies. Aside from his role at IDC, where he focuses on Mining, Manufacturing, and Agribusiness, Mulumba co-hosts Scale Up Africa, a podcast on building resilient African entrepreneurs and businesses, and he is a co-founder at Soqo, a data analytics and payments startup. In this interview, Mulumba talks about his work at IDC, how he sees Africa's burgeoning startup ecosystem, what foreign brands need to know about Zambia's rapidly changing marketplace, and how the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is creating new opportunities for local entrepreneurs. Catch his valuable insights!   Links: IDC website IDC on Facebook IDC on Twitter IDC on LinkedIn Scale Up Africa Podcast website Scale Up Africa Podcast on LinkedIn Scale Up Africa Podcast on Instagram Scale Up Africa Podcast on Twitter Soqo website Soqo on Twitter Mulumba's personal website Mulumba on LinkedIn Mulumba on Instagram Mulumba on Twitter   This epsiode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Tobias Reiter is the Co-Founder and CEO at VIEBEG Technologies, a Silicon-Valley based Health Tech company that expands people's access to affordable health care through the power of data. Launched in 2018, the company mainly operates in Central and East Africa, and offers high-quality medical and dental supplies as well as equipment through its comprehensive online marketplace and procurement software. Originally from Austria, Tobias first entered the world of AI back in college when, together with some colleagues, he built an AI-powered trading algorithm that was later sold to investors. He soon discovered that instead of just making money, he wanted to create an impact and solve real-world problems. Since launching VIEBEG Technologies, Tobias has been living and working in Kigali, Rwanda, and he is now on a mission to help achieve sustainable development in Africa by investing and participating in the African Tech-business environment. Besides his role at VIEBEG, he is also the Co-Founder of Tech Enfold Ltd., which is a Kigali-based social enterprise that focuses on empowering female software engineers in Africa. In this interview, Tobias talks about the many learnings he gained from launching VIEBEG's operations in Rwanda, some important (and at times surprising) socio-cultural aspects of doing business in the region, and some key takeaways for other foreign entrepreneurs thinking of investing in Central and East Africa. Tune into the conversation!   Links: VIEBEG website VIEBEG on LinkedIn VIEBEG on Facebook VIEBEG on Twitter Tech Enfold website Tech Enfold on LinkedIn Tobias on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Simon Kemp is the Founder & CEO at Kepios, a strategy consultancy that helps organizations all over the world to make sense of people's evolving digital behaviours. He is also the Chief Analyst at DataReportal, an online library of up-to-date reports that explore people's digital behaviours around the world. These free reports, which he produces in collaboration with Hootsuite and We Are Social, provide current, country-by-country information on everything from Internet penetration rates to online activities such as mobile usage, social-media habits and e-commerce adoption. Besides running his own consultancy, Simon is an Advisor on a couple of different Boards, he is a GWI Ambassador, and he is a contributing writer at The Next Web. Originally from Scotland, he has been based in Singapore since 2007, and he has become a perennial guest on this podcast. He has been featured on seven previous episodes, most recently on episode #179. In this interview, Simon talks about the latest series of Global Digital reports: the 2021 Global Overview Report and the 2021 Local Country Reports. In particular, he focuses on some surprising new trends emerging from those reports, including the massive popularity of image recognition tools, the general shift towards social search (instead of traditional search engines), and the clear preference for educational, instructional content (versus purely promotional content).   Links: DataReportal website DataReportal on LinkedIn DataReportal on Facebook DataReportal on Twitter Digital 2021: Global Overview Report Digital 2021: Local Country Headlines Hootsuite website We Are Social website GWI website Simon's articles on The Next Web Kepios website Kepios on LinkedIn Kepios on Twitter Simon on LinkedIn Simon on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Jason Mander was first featured on this podcast on episode #16. He is the Chief Research Officer at GWI (formerly known as GlobalWebIndex), which is the leading consumer research company for the global marketing industry. Headquartered in London, GWI has been delivering game-changing insights to just about every major agency, media organization and global brand since 2009. In his role as CRO, Jason leads the Research & Insight departments at GWI, and oversees the company's flagship study on the digital lives and lifestyles of consumers across more than 45 countries. He also directs the GWI's thought leadership program on the topics that matter to today's marketers, planners and researchers. Jason is the author of numerous research reports, including recent ones published in collaboration with LinkedIn, Reddit and Slack. He has also developed new data sets, including GWI Work, which offers a deep dive into B2B professionals, and GWI USA, which examines contemporary attitudes, behaviours and sentiment among American consumers. As a public speaker, Jason regularly presents at industry conferences and has been a frequent contributor to articles and analyses across titles like WARC, Think with Google, BBC News, Huffington Post, eMarketer, Bloomberg and CNN.   Links: GWI website GWI blog GWI's 2021 “Connecting the Dots” report GWI on LinkedIn GWI on Facebook GWI on Instagram GWI on YouTube GWI on Twitter Jason on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Anna Golubeva has more than 15 years of experience working in various international communication and localization roles IKEA. A graduate of Moscow Pedagogical University, she began her career as a translator, consultant and English teacher almost two decades ago. In 2003, Anna joined IKEA Russia as a translator and copywriter. A few years later, she relocated to the Netherlands, where the Inter IKEA Group is headquartered, and she has living and working there ever since. In her current role, Anna leads the digital translation capabilities program at Inter IKEA Systems, which is the worldwide IKEA franchisor. She enjoys the opportunities and challenges of working with languages for IKEA's globally successful life-at-home brand. With her previous experience in retail, marketing and production management, Anna is currently focusing on multi-language initiatives to connect language topics with Inter IKEA Systems' business agenda, and to enable the reach of the IKEA brand for more people in the world. I first met Anna at a workshop called "Bigger, Better, Faster: Navigating the Globalization Road from Startup to Enterprise". The workshop is a recurring one that is offered as part of the extended program for the LocWorld conference series. As a result of meeting there in July 2020, Anna and I are now part of a small group that meets once a month to discuss issues around localization strategy.   Links: “About IKEA” website Inter IKEA Group website IKEA on LinkedIn IKEA on Instagram IKEA on YouTube IKEA on Twitter LocWorld website Anna on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Stella Paris is the Head of Language Services at Translators Without Borders (TWB), the world's leading non-profit translation organization. Since 1993, TWB's mission has been to work towards a world where knowledge knows no language barriers, and people around the world have access to vital information in their language. To achieve this goal, TWB connects NGOs and aid organizations with a community of over 4,000 professional translators, who work in 190 language pairs. In 2020, one of TWB's top priorities has been to help provide access to timely and accurate information about COVID-19. In July, it announced its participation in the Translation Initiative for COVID-19 (or TICO-19, for short), which brings together translators, technologists and researchers from major technology companies, academic institutions, and Language Services Providers. The aim of this initiative is to use language technology to make potentially life-saving COVID-19 information available in as many languages as possible, with a view to bringing the global pandemic under control. Originally from the U.K., and based in Italy since 2003, Stella has a background in language studies, marketing and translation. She has been working in the language services industry for two decades, and has held a variety of roles including as translator, vendor manager, project manager, account manager, and communication manager. Before joining TWB in 2018, she was the Marketing Director at one of Europe's top localization companies. In her current role as Head of Language Services, she is a member of the TWB's Leadership Team, and is responsible for managing the organization's Language Services Team. Stella believes in the power of global communication as a driver for change. Besides her role at TWB, she is a member of the management team for the Italian Chapter of Women in Localization.   Links: Translators Without Borders website TWB's Holiday Giving Campaign page Episode #074 with Lori Thicke, Founder of TWB TWB on LinkedIn TWB on Facebook TWB on YouTube TWB on Instagram TWM on Twitter Stella on LinkedIn Stella on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Bubbl.

Matteo Ceurvels is a Regional Analyst for Latin America & Spain at eMarketer, a leading NYC-based market research firm, which recently merged with Insider Intelligence, the market-research division of Business Insider. Matteo has been featured several times previously on this podcast, namely on episodes #83, #106, #116, #141, and #151. Last time he was on the show, in July 2019, he talked about the Latin-American e-commerce landscape. Since then, a lot has happened in the world, not least the global spread of COVID-19. One of the observable consequences of the pandemic has been the acceleration of digital transformation and of e-commerce adoption in every region of the world, including Latin America. In this interview, Matteo shares some of the latest data around e-commerce adoption in LATAM generally, and Mexico in particular. He talks about the most popular e-commerce platforms in the region (Mercado Libre, Amazon, Alibaba, Carrefour Brazil, Magazine Luiza, etc.), as well as some unique local payment methods (e.g. Mercado Pago). He also explains why search-based marketing (cf. SEO and Amazon SEO) and localization ought to get much greater attention than they have so far. Finally, Matteo looks at regional consumer trends that he thinks will become increasingly important for online retailers in 2021 and beyond, e.g. clear brand positioning around sustainability, diversity and inclusion issues, as well as consumer-to-consumer and social commerce.   Links: eMarketer website eMarketer on LinkedIn eMarketer on Facebook eMarketer on Twitter Insider Intelligence website Insider Intelligence on LinkedIn Insider Intelligence on Instagram Insider Intelligence on Twitter Matteo on LinkedIn Matteo on Twitter Matteo's website   This episode was sponsored by Bubbl.

Gabriel Karandyšovský is the Managing Editor at Nimdzi Insights LLC, which is a market research and international consulting company that focuses on the language services industry. Launched in 2017, Nimdzi Insights brings together localization analysts, international business consultants, and a variety of other experts and researchers, who help companies make better decisions around going global. Originally from Slovakia, Gabriel speaks seven languages and has a degree in International Business from the Sorbonne University in Paris. He has worked in the language industry for over a decade, and has worn a few different hats: from sales and marketing, to creative copywriting, to localization project management, before eventually joining Nimdzi in 2019. As Managing Editor, Gabriel now leads Nimdzi's team of researchers and writers, and oversees the company's publications. He helps clients make data-driven decisions about their global market entry through research on target demographics, consumer buying behaviour, brand awareness, and brand perception. He is based in the city of Brno, in the Czech Republic. In this interview, Gabriel dives into the main takeaways from one of Nimdzi Insights' most talked-about reports of 2020, "Project Underwear: A Study of Online Buyer Behaviour and How Language Affects User Choice". He discusses why the “Underwear Effect” matters to your global content strategy, what the difference is between “traditional” localization markets and “next frontier” markets, how expectations around localized content vary from market to market, and much more.   Links: Nimdzi Insights website Report: Project Underwear TWM 137 with Renato Beninatto Nimdzi on LinkedIn Nimdzi on Facebook Nimdzi on YouTube Nimdzi on Instagram Nimdzi on Twitter Nimdzi's playlist on Spotify Gabriel on LinkedIn Gabriel on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Bubbl.

Finn Murphy is the Principal at Frontline Ventures, a VC firm based in Europe. Founded in 2012, with offices in Dublin and London, Frontline has positioned itself as the venture firm for globally ambitious B2B companies on both sides of the Atlantic. Its focus is on B2B SaaS companies with international growth goals, either early-stage startups with sights on the U.S., or at later-stage companies looking to expand into Europe. It has two main programs: Frontline Seed, which speeds up ideas at inception across Europe, and Frontline X, which is a growth-stage fund, for fast and frictionless US-Europe expansion. An entrepreneur at heart, Finn developed a passion for the tech startup and VC world while still while pursuing degrees in Math and Engineering at Dublin's Trinity College. He built his first successful software business – an application to digitize ID cards for students at Trinity – and launched it in 2016. The first product was a success, and the company was spun out as an independent business. He secured funding, won a prime spot at a local accelerator, and built out the company's core engineering team. After 18 months in operation iDly was snapped up by a larger Irish FinTech company. Finn then shifted his attention to developing the B2C growth marketing strategy at Plynk. He built out a specialized team, driving installs to a peak of 1000 per day. This company later flopped but the lessons on the way down were just as valuable as the ones from the way up. In 2018, Finn joined the Frontline Ventures team, where he is now looking to find and help grow the best new business ideas in Europe and the U.S. In addition to his responsibilities as Principal at Frontline, he also serves as a Board Member, Board Observer and Investor at several different tech startups. In this interview, Finn talks about why Frontline Ventures chooses to invest in globally ambitious tech founders, what his criteria are for evaluating a startup's global growth potential, and what Frontline's recently published 2020 Global Ambition Report reveals about the keys to successful international expansion for B2B software companies.   Links: Frontline Ventures website Frontline's 2020 Global Ambition Report Frontline Ventures on LinkedIn Finn on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by the Think Global Awards, powered by Vistatec.

Hilary Normanha was first featured on episode #121 of this podcast. Since then, she has taken on the role of Localization Program Manager at ASICS Digital, which is a leading creator of mobile running apps. Originally founded as Runkeeper in 2008, it was one of the first apps available when the app store launched that year. It now has over 50 million users across 180 countries, and is available in 12 different languages. It was acquired by ASICS in 2016 as part of the group's plan to drive global expansion and improve the Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) experience. With a background in psychology, Hilary began her career over a decade ago as a professional translator and language instructor. In 2015, she became the International Program Manager at DTM Distributors, an international supply chain company in food distribution. A couple of years later, she joined a small tech company called Eezy as Product Localization Manager, and built the company's localization program from the ground up. In 2019, Hilary joined ASICS Digital, where she now manages the localization program for the company's fitness apps. These include Runkeeper, a running and tracking app; ASICS Studio, a workout app; and Race Roster, a recently-acquired online registration platform for race organizers. Hilary works closely with a variety of teams within ASICS to ensure a fully localized product lifecycle for all of ASICS fitness apps. Catch Hilary's valuable insights, as she talks about why a global retail brand like ASICS got into the business of developing and supporting fitness apps, and how ASICS Digital makes those apps relevant and engaging for millions of users around the world.   Links: ASICS Digital website ASICS Digital on LinkedIn ASICS Digital on Instagram Hilary on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by the Think Global Awards, powered by Vistatec.

Adam Asnes is the CEO of Lingoport, a recognized leader in internationalization and localization. Through its consulting services and software, Lingoport helps software companies globalize their products so that they work well in every target language and locale. Lingoport's suite of software supports continuous internationalization, localization, and QA in every sprint and release, allowing companies to release globalized software on time, on budget, and with repeatable quality. Lingoport's clients include well-established global leaders such as Cisco, Dell, Intuit, CA and more, as well as companies that are new to software globalization. As the Founder of Lingoport, Adam has been with the company since its launch in 2001. In his role, he oversees the company's marketing, sales, product development, consultant recruiting, and operations. He is based at Lingoport's headquarters, in Boulder, Colorado. You won't want to miss this deep dive into how today's software companies can successfully handle the continuous internationalization (i18n), localization and QA of their products for global distribution. Adam talks about some important i18n best practices, shares some wonderfully honest opinions, and offers some helpful advice for software startups. Tune into the conversation!   Links: Lingoport website Lingoport resource library Lingoport blog Lingoport on LinkedIn Lingoport on Facebook Lingoport on Twitter Adam on LinkedIn Adam on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by the Think Global Awards, powered by Vistatec.

Nicole Barile is the Founder of NB Intercultural, a company dedicated to intercultural communication training. With over 15 years of experience helping clients to work effectively across cultures, she helps create globally minded leaders and organizations around the world. Before launching her own business, Nicole spent 10 years working as the Executive Director of an intercultural consulting company in New York City. In 2014, she relocated to Cleveland, Ohio, to head up the intercultural training division at Dwellworks, a global relocation services firm. In 2018, she launched NB Intercultural, where her focus is now on training expatriates who are relocating to other countries, businesspeople navigating cross-cultural situations, and organizations dealing with issues around multicultural team dynamics. Originally from the U.S., Nicole has traveled to over 40 countries, she has lived in Mexico and Argentina, and she speaks conversational Spanish and Portuguese. She holds a BA in Global Economics and an MA in Intercultural Relations from the University of the Pacific in California. Besides running her own business, she is a Visiting Lecturer and Workshop Facilitator at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management. She is also a regular presenter, speaker, and writer on the topics of global leadership, cultural competence, doing business across borders, and working on multicultural teams. In this interview, we discuss the importance of intercultural competence for today's global business leaders, the pitfalls of virtual-only communications in these pandemic times, and the benefits of intercultural communication training for global teams. Catch Nicole's valuable insights!   Links: Nicole's #futureofglobalwork website Nicole's Blog Nicole's ‘Culture Bytes' NB Intercultural on LinkedIn Nicole on LinkedIn Nicole on Instagram Nicole on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by the Think Global Awards, powered by Vistatec.

For this episode, guest host Neil Sheth turns the tables on Kathrin Bussmann and puts her in the interview “hot seat”. Neil is the Founder of London-based digital marketing & SEO agency Bubbl, and was featured on episode #198 of this podcast. As an international marketing strategist, Kathrin Bussmann helps digital-first companies become successful global brands. She leverages up-to-date market research, cultural intelligence and localization expertise to creates global content strategies that attract, engage and retain more international customers. Her mission is to empower today's global-minded companies to build their brand value across languages, cultures and borders. Born in Quebec of German immigrant parents, Kathrin grew up fluently trilingual and multicultural. She holds degrees in Communications Studies and Linguistics from the University of Ottawa, and a Ph.D. in Linguistics from Humboldt Universität in Berlin. Now based in Toronto, Kathrin launched her global marketing consultancy, Verbaccino, in 2014, and has been producing her award-winning show, The Worldly Marketer Podcast, since 2016. She is a member of the Globalization and Localization Association (GALA) and of The Global Chamber, as well as being a Co-Founder of Women in Localization Eastern Canada (WLEC) chapter. Catch this very special episode, in which Kathrin talks about why she loves to work at the intersection of global business, content marketing and localization strategy, and why she thinks of them as pillars for today's successful brands. Plus, Neil has a big announcement! Tune in and find out who is taking a new role as Head of Content Localization at Bubbl to help clients build their brands on a global scale.   Links: Bubbl website Bubbl on LinkedIn TWM episode w/ Neil Sheth Kathrin on LinkedIn Kathrin on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Sharon Cohen is the Vice President, Fairmont Brand at Accor, one of the largest hospitality companies in the world. Originally founded in 1967 and headquartered in the Greater Paris Region, Accor has grown into a holistic ecosystem of more than 30 brands, 80 partnerships, and more than 5,000 hotels in 110 countries. Originally from Canada, Sharon has more than 20 years of experience in hospitality brand management, loyalty programs, and customer relations. She began her career as a Manager at Fairmont's national sales office in New York, back in 2000, and she's been with Fairmont ever since – with the exception of a brief hiatus while the brand was being acquired by Accor in 2016. She rejoined the company in 2017 to take on her current role, and she is now based in Paris. As the leader of the Fairmont brand within Accor, Sharon is responsible for Fairmont's global brand strategy, product development, positioning and brand standards. She works closely with other teams in AccorHotels' Luxury Brands organization to enhance and differentiate Fairmont's competitive position in the luxury hotel segment. In this interview, Sharon talks about how Fairmont Hotels & Resorts evolved to become the iconic global brand we know today. “Unforgettable since 1907”, Fairmont has stayed true to its core positioning across decades, cultures, geographies, and mergers. Find out how this venerable hospitality brand has been able to adapt to changing consumer trends, keep its branding relevant, and respond proactively to current global challenges.   Links: Fairmont Hotels & Resorts website Fairmont on LinkedIn Fairmont on Facebook Fairmont on Instagram Fairmont on YouTube Fairmont on Twitter Accor website Accor on LinkedIn Accor on Twitter Sharon on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

James Ellis is a recognized expert in Employer Branding. He is currently the Employer Branding Manager at Roku Inc., a Silicon Valley based company that pioneered streaming to TV. Before joining Roku, he was the Director of Employer Brand at Universum, a global employer branding consulting firm headquartered in Sweden. His previous roles also include Employer Brand Consultant at BEXConsultants and Global Director of Employment Brand at Groupon. With a degree in Political Science and an MBA, James spent the first decade of his career working as a developer and web designer. After relocating to Chicago in 2010, he took on a series of senior leadership roles focused on digital strategy, eventually specialized in Employer Branding. His achievements include reinventing the employer brand of a public Fortune 1000 company, and being the first person to prove content positively impacts applications. He has also turned a failing brand-activation department into a multi-million-dollar growth engine, started a media-buying department from scratch, and expanded content and social offerings globally. James is the inventor of the Recruiting Content Framework, the Employer Brand Manifesto and the first comprehensive Employer Brand Architecture. In addition to his current role at Roku Inc., he is a highly respected author and keynote speaker on the topic of Employer Branding, and he hosts a podcast called The Talent Cast. His two new books are entitled The Employer Brand Handbook and Talent Chooses You: Hire Better with Employer Branding. In this interview, James explains the basic concept of Employer Brand, how it's directly connected to brand building overall, why companies need to get clear on their Employer Value Proposition, and why that EVP needs to be part of their global branding and marketing strategy.   Links: James' website Article: “The CMO's Guide to Employer Brand” James' books on Amazon Website: “Talent Chooses You” Podcast: “The Talent Cast” James on LinkedIn James on Facebook James on YouTube James on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Julio Leal is the Head of Localization at Ciena, a global leader in telecommunication networking systems, services and software. Originally founded in 1992 and headquartered in Maryland, U.S.A., Ciena now has over 65 offices around the globe, and about 6500 employees in more than 35 different countries. It has been described as the “world's biggest player in optical connectivity”, and its customers include the likes of AT&T, Comcast, Rogers, Bell, Telus, Verizon, Telmex, Deutsche Telekom, Vodafone, Korea Telecom, Rakuten, Sprint Corporation, and many more. With a degree in Translation & Interpreting from the University of Granada, Julio started out his career in 1999 on the vendor side of the language industry. After working for a number of different translation companies, he moved to the client side in 2007, when he became an in-house Production and Localization Manager at SAP. In 2010, he took on his current role at Ciena, and has been leading the company's localization efforts from his remote office in Málaga ever since. In parallel with his work at Ciena, Julio has gone on to obtain a degree in Web Globalization Management from Saint Louis University, a degree in Global Marketing from the Thunderbird School of Global Management, and, most recently, an MBA. He also contributes to industry publications and speaks at industry events. I had a chance to catch his excellent presentation on the topic of B2B video localization at the June 2020 virtual edition of the Brand2Global Conference. In this interview, Julio talks about how Ciena went from being a U.S.-centric company to the global enterprise it is today; how localization has contributed to the Ciena's growth; how the localization team is integrated into the content production process; why video content is so important to the company's global marketing strategy; and how to decide on the best processes and tools for the job, including a Content Management System (CMS) and Translation Management System (TMS). You won't want to miss the many valuable insights contained in this milestone episode!   Links: Ciena website Ciena on LinkedIn Ciena on Facebook Ciena on YouTube Ciena on Instagram Ciena on Twitter Julio on LinkedIn Julio on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Kristy Sakai is the CEO at Supertext USA, which is a creative translation and copywriting agency. Originally founded in 2005, Supertext has offices in Zurich, Berlin and Los Angeles, and works with global brands, multinationals, and marketing agencies to creatively adapt their campaigns for international markets. Kristy grew up in the U.S., Japan, the U.K., and graduated from the London School of Economics before beginning her career in the language services industry. After a couple years as a freelancer, she joined an international marketing agency based in Berlin, where she handled international marketing and project management. In 2012, she took on the role of Language Manager at the Zurich office of Supertext, and a few years later she spearheaded the company's expansion to the U.S. Now based in California, Kristy is the head of Supertext's U.S. business operations. Together with her team and a network of more than 1500 selected copywriters, translators and editors, she helps companies expand their international reach by creating copy that is a pleasure to read in over 100 different languages. Besides her role at Supertext USA, Kristy is a co-Founder and the Membership Manager at the Los Angeles Chapter of Women in Localization, which was launched in the spring of 2019. In this interview, Kristy explains how important it is to truly understand your target customer in a new market, what's involved in adapting your marketing copy for that customer's language and culture, and why it's sometimes more effective to create content from scratch by using a marketing brief rather than translating an existing source text.   Links: Supertext website Supertext USA on LinkedIn Supertext USA on Facebook Supertext on YouTube Supertext on Instagram Supertext on Twitter Women in Localization website Kristy on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Neil Sheth is the Founder & CEO at Bubbl, a digital marketing and SEO agency that helps companies build their brands and domain authority on a global scale. With offices in London and Colorado, Neil and his diverse team of experts work with clients from a vast range of industries, cultures and languages to create buzz around their brands. Their focus is on evocative, enticing storytelling, combined with digital PR and International Search Engine Optimization (ISEO). With a degree in Economics from the University of London, Neil began his career in investment banking, working as a project manager at financial institutions including Barclays, Goldman Sachs and Nomura for the better part of a decade. In 2015, he pivoted into the field of digital content strategy and launched his own agency, Bubbl. He and his team now work across oceans and borders to help businesses build their brands online, with a view to making the web a better place. In this interview, Neil offers an excellent deep-dive into ISEO. He explains how ISEO differs from local SEO, and why the content you create for international audiences – whether it's translated or original content – cannot be truly effective until you combine it with a well-researched ISEO strategy. You'll learn how to super-charge your international content, get it found by searchers in other markets, and build your global brand organically. Far from being dry or technical, Neil offers a refreshing perspective on ISEO, with plenty of valuable insights and actionable tips. You won't want to miss this highly educational episode!   Links: Bubbl website Bubbl on LinkedIn Bubbl on Facebook Bubbl on Intagram TWM interview w/ Chris Raulf Bubbl's SEO & Digital Marketing Course Your Brand Found website Your Brand Found on Facebook Brand Found on Instagram Your Brand Found on Twitter Neil on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by GALA.

Suraya Yahaya is the Founder & CEO at Khazana, Inc., a management consulting firm that helps companies grow, scale internationally, and simplify their operations. Originally from Malaysia, she has lived and worked internationally, and has been based in Denver, Colorado, since 2006. She brings over 20 years of expertise in strategic alignment and process simplification to help clients successfully go from vision to execution. With a background in law, international business, marketing and business administration, Suraya launched her consultancy in 2019 to help companies identify areas of risk and remove roadblocks for growth. As the Head of Khazana, she now partners with Founders, CEOs and Visionaries to streamline organizational performance and achieve revenue and growth goals. She engages with her clients on a project basis or as an outsourced COO, and she is skilled at partnering with senior executive teams across a variety of industries. She has worked with companies of all sizes, but small- and medium-sized businesses are her passion. Besides her work at Khazana, Suraya is committed to giving back to the community and to mentoring and coaching the next generation of leaders. She is an active speaker on the topic of women leadership, diversity and inclusion in the talent pipeline, and serves on non-profit leadership teams. She is also active in several entrepreneur and start-up communities, and provides advice to companies who are mission-driven to change the world. In this interview, Suraya talks about how SMEs can scale their business internationally by building strong relationships, investing in local communities, and developing their digital strategy.   Links: Khazana Inc. website Khazana Inc. on LinkedIn The Global Chamber website Suraya on LinkedIn Suraya's articles on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec and GALA.

Marie Betts-Johnson is the Founder & President of the International Protocol Institute of California (IPIC), which was established in 1989 and is headquartered in San Diego. Since its inception, the IPIC has developed and delivered hundreds of customized training programs for multinational corporations and entities, including the United Nations, NATO, IBM, Gucci Timepieces, Johnson & Johnson, Deloitte & Touche, and many more. It now has offices in Dubai and partners with the Levenbert Academy to deliver international protocol and cross-cultural programs for corporate and government officials, diplomats, and business professionals in the Gulf region and North Africa. Originally from Ireland, Marie's international journey began in 1980, when she had an opportunity to work as part of the staff of the late King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan. In that role, she interacted with royalty and dignitaries from all over the world, including Prince Charles and the Late Princess Diana of Wales. More recently, Marie served as Director of the International Relations Office at the World Trade Center San Diego, where she established outreach systems to attract delegations from all over the world to promote business and investment in the San Diego region. In this interview, Marie explains why the success of international business negotiations often depends on cross-cultural understanding and an awareness of proper protocols. She also talks about how, in the era of COVID-19, we need to develop new international protocols and best practices for the realities of our increasingly virtual business interactions.   Links: Marie's website IPIC on LinkedIn Marie on LinkedIn Marie on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec and GALA.

James Banville has over 25 years of experience in international business development, marketing and sales with small and large Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies in the U.S. and international markets. Based in Orange County, California, he is currently leading international operations atThe Honest Company, a consumer goods company founded by American actress and businesswoman, Jessica Alba, in 2012.   James speaks three different languages, and holds degree in Spanish Literature as well as an MBA from theThunderbird School of Global Management. Over the course of his career, he has held a number of senior leadership positions at some of the world's best-known CPG brands. He has led international sales teams a Kao Corporation, ConAgra Foods, Revlon Professional Brands, Henkel, and e.l.f. Cosmetics, before taking on the role of General Manager, International, atThe Honest Company in 2019.   In this interview, James talks about how today's CPG companies are approaching international expansion, and their strategies for building great global brands in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Catch his valuable insights!     Links: The Honest Company website The Honest Company on Facebook The Honest Company on Instagram The Honest Company on Pinterest The Honest Company on Twitter The Honest Company on LinkedIn The Honest Company Blog James on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec and GALA.

John Pabon is the Founder of Fulcrum Strategic Advisors, Asia's only risk management firm that addresses the most critical areas of change, namely: shifts in geopolitics; the need for sustainability; and the strategic communications underpinning reputation. Fulcrum's mission is to help its clients capitalize on these seismic shifts through strategic communications and marketing, global policy development, personal branding, and better stakeholder engagement. Originally from the U.S., John holds advanced degrees in Political Science and International Relations. He has worked with the United Nations, McKinsey, A.C. Nielsen, and as a consultant with BSR, the world's largest sustainability-focused business network. His career has taken him across the globe, and has given him the opportunity to live and work in China for almost a decade. In 2017, he launched Fulcrum Strategic Advisors, with offices in Melbourne, Hong Kong and Shanghai. John has been named as one of the world's top 100 voices on modern China. He is the Resident Sustainability Expert at The Silk Initiative, a Shanghai-based brand consultancy. He is also a member of the United Nations Association of Australia, and serves on the Board of Advisors to the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee. John is a regular contributor to major publications, and he is a global speaker on issues of sustainability, geopolitics, communications, and societal change. His new book, Sustainability for the Rest of Us: Your No-Bullsh*t, Five-Point Plan for Saving the Planet, was launched in July 2020. In this interview, John explains what the field of Sustainability encompasses, why companies need to set clear sustainability targets, how sustainability issues present opportunities for growing brands, how China has actually become a leader in global sustainability, and how the current pandemic is affecting the “Rise of the Asian Century”. Make sure to catch John's fascinating insights.   Links: Fulcrum Strategic Advisors website Fulcrum Strategic Advisors on LinkedIn John's personal website John's book “Sustainability for the Rest of Us” on Amazon The Silk Initiative website BSR website United Nations Association of Australia website U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce website Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry website John on LinkedIn John on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Dr. Ajay K. Jha is the Founder of InnoP – Innovative Preneurship, a boutique global innovation, incubation & mentor-driven co-working space located in Fort Collins, Colorado. InnoP incubates and accelerates start-ups in the Agri-Tech, Nutrition, Biotech, Healthcare, Energy, and Big Data sectors, and promotes global trade and investment. Originally from India, Ajay has over 20 years of global business experience. He obtained his Ph.D. in biotechnology from Delhi University, and began his career as an Advisor for Agri-Tech ventures, building international partnerships between Indian companies and organizations abroad. In 2001, Ajay relocated to the U.S. to pursue a post-doctoral degree, followed by MBA, at Colorado State University. Since then, he has worked as an expert consultant to a number of different American and foreign companies looking to expand their trade and investments internationally. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, and helped U.S. as well as Indian companies enter the global market and internal attract talent. At InnoP, Ajay now acts as a mentor to Colorado-based startups that are looking to go global. He helps them raise capital, build strategies for global trade, and develop partnerships overseas. In this interview, Ajay talks about InnoP's holistic approach to incubation and acceleration, how solutions to local problems can often be scaled up to serve global needs, which sectors present huge opportunities for innovation, and why India should be of particular interest to U.S. based startups.   Links: InnoP website InnoP on LinkedIn InnoP on Facebook Ajay on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Markus Kramer is a Managing Partner at Brand Affairs AG, an independent PR & Communications agency headquartered in Zurich. He is a brand strategy expert, with a deep knowledge of global marketing, and media & reputation management across multiple sectors, including luxury, automotive, financial services, and government institutions. A native of Switzerland, Markus began his marketing career two decades ago, on the client side of the industry, at the Swiss offices of Honda. In 2003, he joined the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, where he led marketing efforts for over six years, first for the Swiss market and eventually as the Marketing Operations Director for EMEA (Europe, the Middle East & Africa). From there, took on the role of Global Marketing Director at Aston Martin, based in the U.K. In 2013, Markus transitioned to the agency side by joining Brand Affairs as a Managing Partner. Since then, he has divided his time between London and Zurich, and he has become an Associate Professor of Brand Management at the Faculty of Management Sciences of the Cass Business School in London. He is the author of The Guiding Purpose Strategy: A Navigational Code for Brand Growth. And he is also a current Board Member of the Swiss-based BPN Foundation, a non-profit that supports entrepreneurship in developing countries.   Links: Markus' personal website Markus' book: “The Guiding Purpose Strategy” Brand Affairs website Brand Affairs on LinkedIn Brand Affairs on Facebook Brand Affairs on Instagram Brand Affairs on Twitter Markus on LinkedIn Markus on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Kyle Hegarty has been called “the Indiana Jones of International Business”. He was first featured on episode #158 of this podcast. Based in Singapore, he is the Managing Director at TSL Marketing, a global B2B marketing agency headquartered in the U.S. Over the course of his career, Kyle has deciphered the culture code of doing business in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes some of the world's fastest-growing markets. His new book, The Accidental Business Nomad: A Survival Guide for Working Across a Shrinking Planet, details his triumphs and his failures as a global business growth specialist. The result is a no-holds-barred, gritty, and unvarnished account of doing business across cultures. The book features real stories of companies going global, and highlights the realities of doing business overseas. Each story gives fascinating insights and lessons into the cultural realities and unexpected surprises of modern globalization. With upwards of over 70% of foreign business ventures failing due to cultural differences, Kyle shows how anyone can beat the odds by harnessing the power of cross-cultural data and by learning new skills to adapt in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world. Due to COVID-19, Kyle argues, globalization is actually accelerating rapidly, and cross-cultural skills are needed now more than ever, as we face entirely new challenges of doing business digitally, at an unprecedented rate, with cultures around the world.   Links: Leadership Nomad website Kyle's book: “The Accidental Business Nomad” TSL Marketing website TSL Marketing on LinkedIn TSL Marketing on Facebook TSL Marketing on Twitter Kyle on LinkedIn Kyle on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Steven Hoffman is the Chairman & CEO of Founders Space, one of the world's leading incubators and accelerators, with over 50 partners in 22 countries. Founders Space has helped hundreds of start-ups scale their businesses, raise capital, and go global. Before launching Founders Space in 2010, Steven was the Founder & Chairman of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Producers Guild of America. He has served on the Board of Governors of the New Media Council, and he is a founding member of the Academy of Television's Interactive Media Group. He was previously based in Hollywood, where he worked as a TV development executive at Fries Entertainment, and he eventually went on to pioneer interactive television with his venture-funded start-up, Spiderdance. Now based in Silicon Valley, Steven has founded several venture-backed start-ups, specifically in the area of games and entertainment, and he has worked as a Mobile Studio Head for the mobile games division of Infospace. In the course of his career, he has trained hundreds of start-up founders and corporate executives in the art of innovation, and provided consulting to many of the world's largest corporations, including Qualcomm, Huawei, Bosch, Intel, Disney, Warner Brothers, NBC, Gulf Oil, Siemens, and Viacom. Besides his work at Founders Space, Steven is an angel investor, a limited partner at August Capital, a serial entrepreneur, and the author of several award-winning books, including “Make Elephants Fly” and “Surviving a Startup”.    Links: Founders Space website Founders Space on Facebook Founders Space on YouTube Founders Space on Instagram Founders Space on Twitter Steven's books Steven on LinkedIn   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Don Southerton was first featured on episode #057 of this podcast. As the Founder & CEO at Bridging Culture Worldwide, he helps Korea-facing business by assisting companies in their market entry strategy into South Korea, by helping Korean brands expand into North America and internationally. With nearly four decades of experience, Don is recognized as the definitive authority on South Korean business consulting and Korean corporate culture. In fact, he is known in business circles as “The Hyundai Whisperer”. His clients have included Fortune 500 companies, top Korean groups, leading international law firms, and elite consultancies. He has worked with a variety of industries, including automotive, golf, quick-service restaurant sectors, New Urbanism, and green technology. In late 2019, Don became the Global Head of Corporate Communications at Hancom Group, which is South Korea's leading ICT company. He now heads up the group's global communications and PR, as well as its North American market entry. In addition, Don is a regular contributor to online publications such as Branding in Asia on the topic of Korean business, and he is the author and co-author of several books, including Korea Perspective. His latest book is called Korea 2020, A Workplace in Transition. In this interview, Don talks about how South Korea's economy is weathering the COVID-19 pandemic, how he's seeing interesting shifts in traditional Korean corporate culture, and what those changes mean for Western companies looking to do business there.   Links: Bridging Culture Worldwide website Bridging Culture Worldwide on LinkedIn Bridging Culture Worldwide on Facebook Don's books on Amazon Free copy of Don's book: “Korea 2020, A Workplace in Transition” Don's articles on Branding in Asia Don on LinkedIn Don on Facebook Don on YouTube Don on Instagram Don on Twitter   This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.