Money for my Folks in the UK that doesn't have to be paid back

Enterprise Nation has a business fund that does not have to be paid back. All you have to do is agree to share what you did with the money. This is not a one shot deal but is available once a month. Enterprise Nation Fund 101


Go to the site and give it your best pitch. Available only to those in the UK. Good luck.

The Amazon
Michelle

Designsage

 

quoted from Designsage

@vintageeye @WireQueen @bbvintage oh my...we even have our own hashmark now...#UCS..for the Ugly Christmas Sweater... tooo funny

Africans are enbracing smartphone technology to Shop

Africans are using technology on their smart phones to surf the net and shop. The number is up to 10 % less than the rest of the world at 30%. Yet think about the continent as a whole and you've got a lot of consumers to market your product to.

Is your blog optimized for the smart phones? 
What about your shop?
Have you thought about how to reach out to and market to this huge and growing marketplace?


Contrary to popular and news media hype they have a growing middle class across the continent. This middle class whats the same 
thing as the middle class in other countries. A better life and an easier way to access it through their smart phones. Smile


You can read the entire article by clicking on the title.


Enjoy.
The Amazon
Michelle

VC4Africa

 

quoted from VC4Africa

Top 3 economies for #DoingBiz in Africa: #Mauritius, #SouthAfrica and #Rwanda: http://t.co/Olv3d6Lp #DB2012

Turkey hit by 7 Earthquake. Where's the Aid?

Turkey is hit by a 7.2 earthquake and over a 100 aftershocks. Hundreds dead and missing. So where's the aid? Why aren't there pledges and boots hitting the ground to help as happened with Japan.

Why is this disaster being treated "differently".  Why are the Muslim countries not stepping in to help? All of them are not involved in the Arab Autumn. The Red Crescent can't be the only organization operating in the area, they'll be overwhelmed.


The Amazon
Michelle

Conflict Minerals Yes They Do Concern You

Think conflict minerals don't affect you think again. They are found in everything you use from g4 phones to can openers.
I was invited to attend a presentation on "Conflict Minerals". I went expecting a talking head, instead got an insightful presentation on a very difficult subject. Melissa Miller Proctor. VP at Sandler,Travis and Rosenberg was the presenter. She has that rare quality in a lawyer of taking a difficult subject and making it understandable to the person on the street. If her law firm were smart  they would would videotape her presentation, YouTube it and take it viral.


This is the video she used to give basic info on the problem.

We have all seen video and programs on the boy soldiers that skim over the fact that its the Congo and why they are being enslaved into these armed bands. Here's where it affects you.


The Congress recently enacted the Frank-Dodd Act which requires that publicly traded companies have to show that their sourcing and manufacturing stream does not include "Conflict Minerals" which are primarily found in the Congo.


Basic stats on the Congo:
Congo then Zaire during colonialism (French) now Democratic Republic of Congo.
Second largest country after Sudan, now largest after Sudan was split in two.
Second largest rain forest in the world. Second lowest GDP in the world in spite of being the most mineral rich country in the world. Breadbasket of Africa. Congo could feed all of Africa, the US and Europe if not in constant war mode. (This fact alone is  reason enough to destabilise the Congo).


These are the minerals which make up the so called "Conflict Minerals":
Columerite-tantalite (coltrai)
Cassiterite-Tin
Gold also as we all know is money as well
Wolframite-Tungsten
Dirivates of the above (ie iron)


Major players:


Warlords take minerals to licensed registered European Metal Traders to Refiners in Asia to East Asian Manufacturers to End Users in United States and Europe. Looks familiar think Oona people of Nigeria and the oil being exploited there.


Now to the Frank Dodd Act which requires publicly traded companies to "prove" they are using conflict free minerals in the supply chain of manufacturer. Retailers are supposed to be exempt. If you  wholesale to a publicly traded company you may be subject to the Act. The Securities and Exchange Commission is the enforcing body. Major terms and provisions of the Act have not been defined. This Act has more loopholes and exemptions than Swiss cheese.


Apple has gone on record that they will go Conflict Mineral free. Walmart and Target have asked for exemptions.


Why the Frank Dodd Act at all. My spin is there is a growing groundswell against "Conflict Minerals" as people are slowing finding out the horrific human toll to bring them their fast phones and other such items that we use throughout the day. Frank-Dodd is Washington speak to get ahead of that groundswell and say we are handling it.


If they were serious about this Act enforcement would be with US Customs, key provisions would be clear AND defined.

If they were really  serious about doing something we would have boots on the ground from the US and  the United Nations. Can you say Uganda, Qaddafi, Saddam Hussein and that dictator in Panama we no longer had any use for. Do you really think it would take much effort to rid the Congo of these 'Warlords".


Whose profiting from this modern day colonialism and exploitation of the Congo. Everyone in the world except the Congolese people.


Hope the Congolese people can survive until the groundswell actually arrives.


I took pictures of speaker and head of the organization but decided it was in their best interest that I not put them on here.

The Amazon
Michelle not Smiling

Need Money For Your Small Business AZ CA NV

Need money for your small business? Of course you do. Many times the money is out but there is no money allocated for publicizing the availability.  Can you say programmed failure. So I'm going to tell you when I run across it where the nuggets are. Here's another source. Western Alliance Bancorporation received $141 million from the Federal Government for small business loans. Western Alliance has allocated these loans for Arizona Nevada and Californa. Chairman and CEO of the bankcorporation is Robert Sarver who is also the managing partner for the Phoenix Suns.

Loans will be targeted to small-business borrowers with under $50 million in annual revenues.

Full story here http://bit.ly/nSFFkK

Happy Hunting.

Michelle
Amazon TC

Why Going International Could Recession Proof Your Business

Wonder why you never hear companies that are involved in international trade complaining about the recession. In many ways having that stream of income from outside the US insulates you from the boom/bust cycle that has become the American way of doing business.

An example of what exporting can do for your company's bottom line is shown by a company recently honored by the Arizona District Export Council for its trade business. (Some years ago I served on the Michigan District Export Council or MDEC)
Able Engineering receives a third of its revenue from international business. You can read their story here. http://bit.ly/r5i50S

I'm still waiting on the Arizona Commerce Authority to develop their guidelines for the $646,000 that was received to help Arizona Companies to go into and grow their international business. I'll let you know as soon as I know.

Check back for news as I transition back to Amazon Trading Company (AmazonTC). Yes, I will keep adding items and gemstones as I set up my store.

I'm Back! I will be adding Wirequeen back under the AmazonTC Brand

Hi All!

I've been taking a break as I analysed the direction I wanted to go in. I love jewelry making but international trade is my heart. I pulled the jewelry line from the Trading Company and gave it its own identity (wirequeen jewelry art and home decor.) I then used the wirequeen brand to learn how to use the Internet and social media. I didn't want people to think I was importing the jewelry when I was actually creating it myself so I separated the two.

My business advisers I recently have been consulting with suggested that I have to go for depth not breath. I will be adding the jewelry back in with my other items and putting up a shop here so you can purchase all of them directly from here.

Now everything will be under the banner of Amazon Trading Company (AmazonTC) which I am reprising. As you've notice on this blog I share a lot of international news and items that you normally don't see in the newspapers or on you TV broadcast. I will continue doing that as well as bring you country specific info that I think will help you with your business now matter what it is.

I know conventional wisdom is you can only do one thing per blog, website, etc. I've never listened to conventional wisdom, if I had I would never had the wonderful experiences I've had. I would never have made it to this day and time. So as I shift gears join me by signing up on for my newsletter that will start in January for international trade and follow this blog which I will switch over to bring you more "goodies". Smile

Of course I will keep posting my "pretties"but I will now be able to bring you a wider range of items. Here are two items I'd like to share:

ERDA Bag
This is a small bag that the independent fashionista will love. Not a common name but a very uncommon bag. 7" long by 8" wide (17.78cm x 20.32cm). First $100.00 takes. My paypal email is mshawkins55@yahoo.com

The Earth Stone ring in sterling silver $125.00. The ring is size 7.5 the stone is 1.5" by 1" (3.81 x 2.5cm) .  This is one of my creations. My photography skills do not do justice to this stone.

Shipping for both items is free.

So sign up and keep checking back. Smile

Peace.

International Help From the Obama Adminstration.

Interested in going international ? The Obama adminstrations wants to help you export. Millions have been sent to the states to you do just that. Click on your state on the map to see how much your state got and whose in charge of the money.  Ignore the deadline info that was for the states to apply for the grants.


http://1.usa.gov/ne64mz

Whether you have goods or services you need to take advantage of this opportunity to go international. Your competition isn't in the next state but the entire globe. Plan for it and work you plan. I am always open for new business in the international arena. Smile

Don't forget to save the date November 15 from 11:30-1pm. for my international seminar.

Details to follow.