In this episode, Wendy sits down with Mike Hubbard, Director of International Trade at the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, for a practical, story-driven look at what actually makes exporting work.
Mike breaks down how their team helps companies move from “we should sell overseas” to a real plan: covering compliance, market research, cultural training, distributor introductions, trade missions, and even grants that can reimburse costs like translation. Along the way, he shares vivid examples: a small home furnishings company that won business in the Middle East because she localized a simple postcard and website into Arabic, why “clunky” machine translation can quietly push buyers away, and how smart market selection (like targeting the UK and South Africa before Canada/Mexico for a medical device) can unlock growth faster than you’d expect.
You’ll learn:
- How to build an export strategy that isn’t “go to a trade show and hope” including the core pieces Mike insists on: compliance, market intelligence, and a written market entry plan.
- Why translation and cultural adaptation are revenue levers (not “nice-to-haves”), with real examples of how localized materials signal seriousness and reduce friction for buyers.
- How to pick the right first markets and avoid expensive dead ends especially when regulations, certifications, labeling rules, and relationship-based selling vary wildly by country.
