Going global - is there any other way to survive?

Ahoi AIESEC Estonia and its friends.

I`m just doing the wrap-up of JCI GoGlobal conference which I participated last weekend and wanted to share some thoughts from there. I hope that at least AIESEC members get some good ideas and motivation to work really hard with our Market Expansion projects...

Jaan Järv (formerly in Baltica, currently in Versus Invest):
- "It is good to test business ideas in Estonia - the ones which are successful here will bring profit also elsewhere"
- "In longer perspective successful are those companies which have activities in international markets"
- "Foreign markets which are closer bring more value/profit" (=CEE and Scandinavian markets for Estonian companies). It is also because of more similar environment, background etc. For Estonia he listed TOP markets to expand your activities: 1. Baltic countries 2. Ukraine 3. Russia 4. other CEE countries 5. Scandinavia 6. Western-Europe 7. USA 8. Asia
- Even if Polish, Romanian, Bulgarian and Russian markets develop extremely fast during next few years there is still enough space for new ideas and foreign companies.

Andri Avila (Olympic Entertainment Group):
- "Estonian business environment gave a good opportunity to experiment your business idea. At the same time the borders of Estonian market are narrow and success will come faster than expected. It means that for further growing there is no other opportunity than to expand to foreign markets."
- "The presumption of expanding: your business model works well in the business environment with lower risks"

Indrek Neivelt (Bank Saint Petersburg):
- "Before expanding Hansapank to Latvia (years ago) we had been only to Riga zoo - we had no idea about international business"
- "It is easier to take products to foreign markets than services. Services are more local."

Kadri Tali (Nordic Symphony Orchestra):
- "The best thing which Estonians have in competition with other world - our brain"

Andres Agasild (MarkIT):
- "Going global is a key to success, especially for a company from a small country"
- "Milk in our office lasts for 3 months, IT products in our portfolio 30 days"
- "While going global don`t copy-paste your current business model. Think even bigger!"
- "Small company with 40 employees (MarkIT has 40 employees and they produced 28 million EUR revenue last year!) can compete with big international companyes only by focusing to one narrow aspect"
- "Why Riga? Why not London?" Andres told that if there is a super idea - it is successful everywhere. So why not to start directly from bigger markets (like London) which would bring more value from the very beginning.
- "Going global - is there any other way to survive?"

- - - -
If to add here a headline from todays Äripäev:
- "2009: export saves the business" ("2009: eksport päästab äri", Äripäev 25.09): Next year will be the most difficult for the companies selling Estonian internal market. Strong exporting countries win the most.

There have been a lot of articles and some conferences about taking business international, expanding to foreign markets, exporting - all having the same message: only these activities can save Estonian economy and help companies to be successful.

Good luck with Market Expansion projects, AIESEC Estonia. Now or never?
Marko