It's Official: I've Opened An Office in The Philippines

I'm proud to announce that I have officially gone global! I have opened an office in downtown Manila, Philippines - the country's capital - for my newly formed subsidiary, Dante Lee International (DLI), which will house my newly acquired web property - Tagalog.com. I'm planning to re-launch the site as an online dictionary, thesaurus, encyclopedia, and resource guide.

There are many dialects in the Philippines, but Tagalog is the official language spoken by over 100 million Filipinos worldwide. My goal is for the site to be the ultimate resource for everything pertaining to the Philippines - how to speak the national language, how to travel there, what attractions to see, where to stay, where to shop, how to interact with the people, etc.

Book Review: "Doing Business In China For Dummies"

If you're interested in an authoritative guide to understanding how to do business overseas, this book is a great start. Whether you plan to do business in China or another country, this guide offers a lot of valuable information.

Written by Robert Collins and Carson Block, it covers all the basics, from the nuts and bolts of Chinese business and bureaucracy to negotiating with your Chinese partners. It teaches how to understand Chinese markets, develop a strong business plan, find the right employees, work with currency controls and the Chinese banking system, and sell and source. It also provides the much-needed know-how on how to manage day to day, from travel tips and advice on converting money to getting past language barriers.

2011 National Black Book Festival In Houston

Are you an existing or aspiring African American author? Do you want to learn how to sell more books, get a major book deal, and network with other authors and publishers? Then you may want to plan to attend the upcoming National Black Book Festival in Houston, Texas on June 10-12, 2011.

More than 100 African-American authors and thousands of book club members and readers will converge during the largest indoor gathering of African-American authors in the world. Participating authors from more than 30 states and the Caribbean will showcase, sign and sell their books during the weekend event.

Wal-Mart To Expand To South Africa

In a bold but smart move to stay ahead of competitors, Wal-Mart, the world's bigger department store chain, is seeking to buy Massmart - a major retailer with 263 stores in South Africa and 25 stores in other sub-Saharan African countries including Mozambique, Swaziland and Namibia. Massmart owns chain stores such as Game and Macro.

Seeking to capitalize on Africa's economic growth, Wal-Mart has reportedly made an offer of $4.1 billion to buy 51 percent of the company, which will remain listed on the country’s stock exchange. If successful, Wal-Mart would become the first major international retailer to enter the South Africa market.

Black Enterprise Conference Returns To Atlanta

Black Enterprise Magazine is returning to Atlanta, Georgia for their 2011 Entrepreneurs Conference and Expo on May 22-25. The event will be held at the Downtown Marriott Marquis Hotel, and promises to be as good as last year's event - which was held in the same venue.

During the three day period, attendees can expect innovative sessions, high-powered speakers, and an early peek at the products, trends, and services you’ll need to know about to stay ahead of the curve. They'll also have the opportunity to network and interact with hundreds of deal makers, and thousands of other business owners that'll be attending.

What Does FUBU, Shakey's Pizza, and RC Cola Have In Common?

If you are at least 25 years old, then you have heard of all of these brands - whether you remember them or not. All of them had a huge presence in the 70's, 80's and/or 90's in the United States. However, none of them are as huge today in the U.S. as they once were - but that's not what they most notably have in common.

What's notable is that all three of these companies have shifted their focus to overseas markets in Asia and Europe, and have found greater success there.

Tuskegee University To Host Booker T. Washington Economic Development Summit

The 15th annual Booker T. Washington Economic Development Summit will be held on September 15-17, 2010 at the Tuskegee University Kellogg Conference Center in Tuskegee, Alabama. The conference theme is: "Revitalizing Entrepreneurship and Procurement Opportunities in Small Towns and Rural Communities".

Key speakers include George Curry, renowned speaker, author and moderator; and Maggie Anderson, CEO of The Empowerment Experiment

The conference is designed to promote economic development through private enterprise with emphasis upon procurement opportunities for business owners, contractors, community-based organizations, small business development programs and HBCUs involved with community development.

Go Global. Do Business In Another Country

Have you ever explored the idea of creating a business in another country? If not, you should think about this in depth.

While reading the June 2010 issue of Black Enterprise magazine, I found a very interesting article about an African American woman from Georgia who moved to South Africa and now owns a multi-million dollar haircare company there. The article also highlights an African American man who moved there from Detroit and now owns a very successful pharmaceutical company.

Black-Owned Firms Encouraged To Do Business In Belize

Tri-County International Chamber of Commerce (TCICC) - the international arm of Tri-County Black Chamber of Commerce has officially declared the small English speaking country in Central America - Belize, a trading country for Black Business Enterprises in the U.S. and the Diaspora.

TCICC, headquartered in Houston, Texas - an international hub, mission is to facilitate the development and preparedness of micro and small business enterprises seeking export and import opportunities in new global markets.

"Our goal is to increase the number and capability of Black Business Enterprises to engage in international trade by choosing a country, where reliable relationships and alliances could be forged, and profitable opportunities exist. We found our trading country south of Mexico, east of Guatemala, bordered by the Caribbean Sea, 2 1/2 hours flight time from Houston, and affectionately known as nature's best kept secret - Belize," says TCICC President and CEO, Leondria Thompson.

In a perpetual effort to promote international trade, TCICC will lead an International Bilateral Trade Mission delegation to Belize, June 21 thru June 25, 2010. This extensive mission encourages new and veteran entrepreneurs to do business internationally and trade with Belize. "We encourage all Black business owners to form strategic partnerships, joint-ventures, and make worthwhile investments in other countries, starting in Belize," Thompson states.

The 5 day and 4 night mission will cover three districts of Belize, which includes the capitol city - Belmopan, where meetings will be held with business counterparts, Government officials, Government Agencies, and U.S. Embassy officials for trade and commerce support. Mission delegates will participate in business match meetings, experience cultural exchanges and formulate an international network of resources.

For more information, visit www.tcbcc.org

Urban Financial Services Coalition To Hold Conference In Kansas City

The Urban Financial Services Coalition (UFSC) will hold its 36th Annual International Conference on June 10 -12, 2010 at the Hyatt Regency Crown Center Hotel in Kansas City, Missouri.

The conference, themed "Charting Your Course for the New Economy", is designed to give hundreds of members and constituents an opportunity to convene and discuss the ongoing changes in the financial services industry that affect their personal and professional lives.

The conference will include a non-profit leadership institute, information sessions for small businesses and business professionals, a roundtable discussion with industry executives, a CEO Symposium led by leaders of major businesses, an International Oratorical Competition, a Community Empowerment Day event that is free to the public and an Awards Gala.

UFSC supports programs that offer practical benefits for diverse financial services professionals, banks and financial institutions. UFSC's underlying goals and objectives are to foster the interest and increase the number of minorities in the financial services industry; strengthen the financial fitness of low-income communities; enhance scholarship programs for minority youth pursuing financial services careers; and cultivate a premiere job bank of experienced minority professionals in the industry.

For additional information regarding UFSC and its upcoming conference, please visit www.ufscnet.org/conference

2010 FraserNet PowerNetworking Conference In Atlanta

There will be two major Black business-related conferences in Atlanta this year. I've already blogged about the upcoming Black Enterprise Conference, but the city will also host the 9th annual Frasernet PowerNetworking Conference.

Held on June 10-12, 2010 at the Mariott Atlanta Marquis, this conference is a must-attend. George Fraser, founder of the conference and best-selling author, has created a unique organization of thousands of African American entrepreneurs and professionals that meet annually at this event to network, brainstorm, and exchange ideas.

There will be educational workshops, power panels, power luncheons, an exhibit fair, a national town hall meeting, and more.

Featured speakers include: Les Brown (worldwide motivational speaker), Marc Morial (president of Urban League), Dr. Randal Pinkett (winner on Donald Trump's "The Apprentice"), Ephren Taylor (youngest Black CEO of a public company), Judge Glenda Hatchett (of the Judge Hatchett Show), Lisa Nicols (best-selling author), and many more.

I've attended this event several times, and was able to network with several key contacts who eventually became clients of mine.

If you are an existing or aspiring business owner, I highly recommend you attend!

For more details or to register, visit:
www.frasernet.com

2010 Blogging While Brown Conference In Washington, DC

This unique conference for African American bloggers is scheduled for June 18-19, 2010 in Washington, D.C at the historic Henley Park Hotel.

Blogging While Brown promotes intellectual, social, and cultural development of the blogging community by bringing bloggers of color together in one location. The purpose of the conference is to facilitate conversations that lead to collaboration and innovation among bloggers of color.

Last year's conference was held in Chicago and was attended by activists, entrepreneurs, journalists and others interested in expanding digital media content creation and distribution among people of color.

This year is expected to be bigger and better. There will be intensive workshops for beginners and experts.

Early registration is only $99.

For more details, visit:
www.bloggingwhilebrown.com

Free Small Business Tax Workshops, Phone Forums and Webinars

The IRS' small business workshops are designed to help the small business owner understand and fulfill their Federal Tax responsibilities. The workshops are sponsored and presented by IRS partners who are Federal Tax specialists.

Topics vary from a general overview of taxes to more specific topics such as record-keeping and retirement plans.

Although most are free, some workshops have fees associated with them. Any fees charged for a workshop are paid to the sponsoring organization, not the IRS.

If you are unable to attend a workshop in person, they are available on CD and online as webinars.

You can also take advantage of their phone forums, which are free of charge, and can be held either at the local or national level.

For more information and a listing of upcoming workshops in your area, visit:
www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99202,00.html

2010 Black Enterprise Conference Comes To Atlanta

The 15th annual Black Enterprise Conference and Expo is coming to Atlanta, Georgia on May 16-19, 2010. The theme is "Building Business Beyond Tomorrow". The event will be held at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis Hotel, and early bird registration is only $295.

The event will consist of several functions including:

The Deal Maker's Expo - a marketplace that offers a unique opportunity for entrepreneurs to connect with each other and build business relationships;

The Small Business Awards - a star-studded award show created to provide special recognition to African American entrepreneurs;

The Kidpreneur/Teenpreneur Conference - a program that encourages young business talent to network and collaborate with each other;

and countless workshops and speaker sessions.

I don't think the event has ever been hosted in Atlanta, but if so - it has definitely been a while. This, in combination with the annual FraserNet PowerNetworking conference (which is also hosted in Atlanta this year), should be a real treat for Black entrepreneurs locally and nationally.

I will personally be at both events this year.

For more details about the conference or to register, visit:
www.blackenterprise.com/ec/

My Favorite iPhone Apps For Business Travel

The iPhone is a great phone and a very useful tool for business. The capabilities are great, and the apps available can sometimes be overwhelming. I specifically find the iPhone to be very useful for planning and managing travel.

Here are a few apps that I use and highly recommend:

1) Kayak - This app, modeled after the popular web site Kayak.com, allows you to search many airlines and travel sites all at once. Right from your cell phone, you can easily determine the lowest airfare, hotels rates, and rental car rates. Cost: Free

2) Negotiator - This app, released by Priceline.com, also allows you to search multiple sites for the lowest airfare, hotel rates, and rental car rates. In addition, right from your cell phone, you can negotiate for the rate that you want - often resulting in savings of up to 80%i. Cost: Free

3) Southwest - This app, from Southwest Airlines, is the only app that allows you to book and manage Southwest flights. You can also manage your points if you're a Rapid Rewards member. Cost: Free

4) Flight Track Pro - This app helps you manage and organize your upcoming flights. It stores your confirmation numbers, allows you to view live flight maps, and will notify you in advance (via push notification) if your flight is delayed or canceled. Cost: $9.99

5) Trip It - This app, from TripIt.com, is similar to Flight Track Pro, but also allows you to manage and organize your hotel and rental car reservations. It also stores confirmation numbers, and allows you to easily share your itinerary with friends and family. Cost: Free

My Solution For The Airline Industry

Recently while on a  flight from Las Vegas to Columbus, it dawned on me how to single-handedly save the airline industry. They've already implemented alternative revenue strategies such as fees to check baggage, fees to select your seat online, fees to board first, etc.

However, they're missing one major opportunity. Here it is: Stop paying flight attendants.

That's right, stop paying flight attendants! Make them work for free. How will they get paid? Require every passenger to give the flight attendants a small tip - just $2 total per passenger per flight.

Airlines spend hundreds of millions of dollars a year on flight attendant salaries. This expense can be completely eliminated, and the flight attendants will be thrilled because they will make more money.

Here's how:

The average flight attendant only makes about $9-$12 an hour, if that. However, if they are only paid via a mandatory $2 tip from all passengers - they will make twice that amount or more.

Think about it: Domestic flights are usually served by 1-4 flight attendants, depending on their size. A large aircraft that seats 150 people will make 4 flight attendants $300 that they can split to about $75 each - and that's just for one flight. Most flight attendants serve anywhere from 2-5 flights a day.

A small regional aircraft that seats only 50 people can make the 1 flight attendant $100.

Even if the flights are not full, flight attendants will still end up making more money.

In turn, the airlines will be saving hundreds of millions annually, and they can pass the savings along to the passengers. The passengers will be more then happy to accept cheaper airfares, and they certainly aren't going to complain about a measly $2 tip.

Now, tell me that wouldn't work!

2009 African American Internet Marketing Summit Comes To Chicago

Target Market News has announced it will host the 2009 African American Internet Marketing Summit on Thursday, Nov. 19th in Chicago at the Wyndham Hotel downtown. The all-day conference - the only such gathering of its kind in the nation - will feature some of the industry’s leading executives and companies in marketing, advertising, media, technology and research.

Hosted by my good friend Ken Smikle (pictured right), the Summit will examine how numerous Fortune 500 companies have effectively used digital platforms to reach African Americans including State Farm, AT&T, McDonalds, Toyota, American Airlines, Ford, Walmart and the U.S. Navy. Among the advertising agencies invited to participate and make presentations are UniWorld Group. GlobalHue, Sanders/Wingo, Burrell Communications, Vigilante and Carol H. Williams Advertising.

Research continues to point to the growing importance of African-Americans and digital media. Recent studies have found that nearly have of all African-Americans have access to the Internet; that blacks are the most active segment of those who access the Internet from a mobile device; and 11 percent of all bloggers are African-American.

Here are just a few topics that will be addressed by panelists at the Summit:

* The Obama Factor: Internet Lessons For Savvy Marketers
* Marketing to African Americans Through Targeted Social Media
* What The Loss of RushmoreDrive.com Means to Digital Platforms
* How the Internet Empowers Black Women Consumers
* Digital Decisions: Is Your Content Audience or Advertiser Driven?
* How Black Media Has Incorporated and Adapted to the Web

For more information, visit www.TargetMarketNews.com or call (312) 408-1881.

Doing Business In Africa

The 7th Biennial U.S.-Africa Business Summit will be held September 29th - October 1st in Washington, DC at the Washington Convention Center.

Small business owners are invited to join The Corporate Council on Africa’s (CCA) and more than 1,500 of the private and public sector's top leaders to find out about business and investment opportunities in Africa.

Below is a recent Q&A interview conducted by USA Today with Stephen Hayes, president and CEO of CCA:

For most small business owners, the cultural and distance barriers involved in doing business with Africa seem insurmountable. Why is it worth their while to investigate the possibilities?

There's a great deal of negative publicity surrounding Africa, and that tends to be all that people hear. But in reality there are 53 countries on the continent and in many of them, there are an enormous amount of positive things happening. There are extraordinarily promising possibilities in agribusiness, infrastructure, and tourism.

A lot of that negative publicity that you mentioned involves war, natural disaster, and governments steeped in corruption. Those don't seem like ideal business conditions.

Well, the charge of corruption is valid in some countries. But you have to remember that there are disasters and corruption all over the world, including in South America and North America. That doesn't preclude us doing business there.

Which African countries offer the most promise for business exchanges?

The best possibilities are in the southern half of the continent, countries like Mozambique, South Africa, Mauritius, and Namibia. Ghana has enormous potential in its ports, fisheries, and tourism, as does Botswana.

Nigeria is also a booming market where a lot of new things are happening, but it's a tough place to do business and you really have to know your partners.

Another area doing surprisingly well, by the way, are the Sub-Saharan countries of Burkina Faso and Mali. They get high marks for business development, but they are French-speaking so often the trade there gravitates to France.

What's on the agenda at your summit specifically for smaller companies?

The Africa Trade Office has [received] a $400,000 developmental grant from the U.S. Small Business Administration to run a matchmaking program for small- and mid-sized businesses. They will be given the opportunity to easily identify prospective business partners and sign up electronically for brief introductory meetings before and during the summit.

The summit also offers 50 industry-specific workshops based on the knowledge of how to do things in African business, new ideas in the field, and so forth.


For more details about the summit, interested ones should visit:
http://guest.cvent.com/EVENTS/Info/Summary.aspx?e=a83433d4-f64f-4adb-aeda-0525c94ca0eb

Unlimited Travel On JetBlue

JetBlue is running a very unique special whereas you can buy an All-You-Can-Jet Pass for just $599. You can travel as much as you want to over 50 cities, between September 8th and October 8th.

The offer is open to everyone - including business travelers. If you don't need to travel that much for business in a month's period, you can combine the offer with some vacation trips.

Unfortunately, the offer doesn't appeal to me very much because JetBlue doesn't fly out of my home airport.

However, if you're in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago, Boston, and many other cities - you can take advantage of the offer. I think it's a sweet deal!

For more details, visit:
www.jetblue.com/deals/all-you-can-jet/?intcmp=HPHero1Eng_All-You-Can-JetPass

Recession Confession: "I Take The Train"

I have to admit that since the economy went sour, I've taken quite a few measures to minimize my business expenses.

For instance, when I'm out of town for business - I try as much as possible to avoid paying for expensive cab fares. Many times I will either walk, or take the local metro train.

Because I travel quite a bit, $40 - $70 cab rides can add up to a couple hundred dollars very quickly.

Fortunately, in most cities that I travel to - like New York, Newark, Atlanta, and DC - you can take the metro from the airport right in to downtown.

In other cities like LA or Miami though, the metro doesn't run to the airport. In those cases, you have to take a cab - but when traveling from your hotel to your meeting or conference, you can take the metro.

Of course, not all cities even have a metro system. In such cases, I just end up walking. I've found that a 1 or 2 mile walk isn't that bad at all.

I haven't resorted to taking the bus yet, but I'm thinking about it. Laugh all you want, but I know I've saved at least a thousand dollars this year already.

I'm not proud to ride the bus. Well, maybe a little.

What is your recession confession?