Welcome to 2012

My online presence became quiet as 2011 moved on. Late in the year I was due for visa renewal. I felt anxious about it. I worried that even the smallest misstep could prevent me from staying.

Getting permission to stay was the best holiday gift I could possibly have gotten.

So… welcome to the New Year. What shall we make of it?

Through my businesses and personal ties in the States, I can see the USA has pockets of economic improvement. Some of these pockets are regional. Others are specific industries. It doesn’t look great yet and it’s fragile, but it certainly looks better than Europe’s current mess.

In 2010 I came up with a way to handle market entry for a USA firm to sell in the UK with lower cost and risk than the usual model. Right now, for most businesses it makes more sense to go from the UK to the USA. As long as what you sell is presented and supported appropriately, the States offer a much larger market in a better buying position. It looks like that will remain true for quite some time to come.

Since that is the best salvation I can see for certain small to medium sized businesses here in the UK, I’ve got a handpicked pool of talent on standby in the States to take up UK-to-USA market entry projects. The companies that can benefit most from this are not necessarily in technology. (Let me know if you have a British business that would like to sell in the States and wants to be considered. That initial conversation doesn’t cost anything except a little time, and it could be worth big money to you.)

Although Britons tell me that I’m crazy to stay, I’m staying. Now that there’s no “go away” date on my visa any more, I’d actually like to make some changes about what I own in each country. Later this year I’ll probably put some assets on the market.

Last but not least, during the holidays various family members had some health news and in my household the new year began with the unexpected death of a beloved pet. Some things are more important than business.

There is plenty to do this year, one way or another. Let’s get to it!