As a former American commercial diplomat in Beijing to facilitate US-China trade, Joshua Halpern presents a wealth of insights about e-commerce companies and the many factors they must consider to operate worldwide. But with the abundance of support companies that handle all of the issues, the process has become far faster and easier. Josh also presents ways that companies find overseas venture partners when they have no previous experience or contacts, and how branding is critical. Even if companies’ images do not adapt well internationally, Josh shows how each country will still have a “tribe” of customers who will adopt them. While DeBeers has successfully equated its diamonds with the concept of Love in the West, Josh also illustrates how DeBeers succeeded in Japan where the “love” connotations are not the same, how the Investment in “ROI” is less costly abroad than companies may assume, and the tax reasons that are driving an exodus of Westerners from China.

{You can hear the full episode on Friday, May 19th}