The Worldly Marketer Podcast

Kristy Sakai is the CEO at Supertext USA, which is a creative translation and copywriting agency. Originally founded in 2005, Supertext has offices in Zurich, Berlin and Los Angeles, and works with global brands, multinationals, and marketing agencies to creatively adapt their campaigns for international markets.

Kristy grew up in the U.S., Japan, the U.K., and graduated from the London School of Economics before beginning her career in the language services industry. After a couple years as a freelancer, she joined an international marketing agency based in Berlin, where she handled international marketing and project management. In 2012, she took on the role of Language Manager at the Zurich office of Supertext, and a few years later she spearheaded the company's expansion to the U.S.

Now based in California, Kristy is the head of Supertext's U.S. business operations. Together with her team and a network of more than 1500 selected copywriters, translators and editors, she helps companies expand their international reach by creating copy that is a pleasure to read in over 100 different languages.

Besides her role at Supertext USA, Kristy is a co-Founder and the Membership Manager at the Los Angeles Chapter of Women in Localization, which was launched in the spring of 2019.

In this interview, Kristy explains how important it is to truly understand your target customer in a new market, what's involved in adapting your marketing copy for that customer's language and culture, and why it's sometimes more effective to create content from scratch by using a marketing brief rather than translating an existing source text.

Links:

• Supertext website
• Supertext USA on LinkedIn
• Supertext USA on Facebook
• Supertext on YouTube
• Supertext on Instagram
• Supertext on Twitter
• Women in Localization website
• Kristy on LinkedIn

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Neil Sheth is the Founder & CEO at Bubbl, a digital marketing and SEO agency that helps companies build their brands and domain authority on a global scale. With offices in London and Colorado, Neil and his diverse team of experts work with clients from a vast range of industries, cultures and languages to create buzz around their brands. Their focus is on evocative, enticing storytelling, combined with digital PR and International Search Engine Optimization (ISEO).

With a degree in Economics from the University of London, Neil began his career in investment banking, working as a project manager at financial institutions including Barclays, Goldman Sachs and Nomura for the better part of a decade. In 2015, he pivoted into the field of digital content strategy and launched his own agency, Bubbl. He and his team now work across oceans and borders to help businesses build their brands online, with a view to making the web a better place.

In this interview, Neil offers an excellent deep-dive into ISEO. He explains how ISEO differs from local SEO, and why the content you create for international audiences – whether it's translated or original content – cannot be truly effective until you combine it with a well-researched ISEO strategy. You'll learn how to super-charge your international content, get it found by searchers in other markets, and build your global brand organically. Far from being dry or technical, Neil offers a refreshing perspective on ISEO, with plenty of valuable insights and actionable tips. You won't want to miss this highly educational episode!

Links:

• Bubbl website
• Bubbl on LinkedIn
• Bubbl on Facebook
• Bubbl on Intagram
• TWM interview w/ Chris Raulf
• Bubbl's SEO & Digital Marketing Course
• Your Brand Found website
• Your Brand Found on Facebook
• Brand Found on Instagram
• Your Brand Found on Twitter
• Neil on LinkedIn

This episode was sponsored by GALA.

Suraya Yahaya is the Founder & CEO at Khazana, Inc., a management consulting firm that helps companies grow, scale internationally, and simplify their operations. Originally from Malaysia, she has lived and worked internationally, and has been based in Denver, Colorado, since 2006. She brings over 20 years of expertise in strategic alignment and process simplification to help clients successfully go from vision to execution.

With a background in law, international business, marketing and business administration, Suraya launched her consultancy in 2019 to help companies identify areas of risk and remove roadblocks for growth. As the Head of Khazana, she now partners with Founders, CEOs and Visionaries to streamline organizational performance and achieve revenue and growth goals. She engages with her clients on a project basis or as an outsourced COO, and she is skilled at partnering with senior executive teams across a variety of industries. She has worked with companies of all sizes, but small- and medium-sized businesses are her passion.

Besides her work at Khazana, Suraya is committed to giving back to the community and to mentoring and coaching the next generation of leaders. She is an active speaker on the topic of women leadership, diversity and inclusion in the talent pipeline, and serves on non-profit leadership teams. She is also active in several entrepreneur and start-up communities, and provides advice to companies who are mission-driven to change the world.

In this interview, Suraya talks about how SMEs can scale their business internationally by building strong relationships, investing in local communities, and developing their digital strategy.

Links:

• Khazana Inc. website
• Khazana Inc. on LinkedIn
• The Global Chamber website
• Suraya on LinkedIn
• Suraya's articles on LinkedIn

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec and GALA.

Marie Betts-Johnson is the Founder & President of the International Protocol Institute of California (IPIC), which was established in 1989 and is headquartered in San Diego. Since its inception, the IPIC has developed and delivered hundreds of customized training programs for multinational corporations and entities, including the United Nations, NATO, IBM, Gucci Timepieces, Johnson & Johnson, Deloitte & Touche, and many more. It now has offices in Dubai and partners with the Levenbert Academy to deliver international protocol and cross-cultural programs for corporate and government officials, diplomats, and business professionals in the Gulf region and North Africa.

Originally from Ireland, Marie's international journey began in 1980, when she had an opportunity to work as part of the staff of the late King Hussein and Queen Noor of Jordan. In that role, she interacted with royalty and dignitaries from all over the world, including Prince Charles and the Late Princess Diana of Wales.

More recently, Marie served as Director of the International Relations Office at the World Trade Center San Diego, where she established outreach systems to attract delegations from all over the world to promote business and investment in the San Diego region.

In this interview, Marie explains why the success of international business negotiations often depends on cross-cultural understanding and an awareness of proper protocols. She also talks about how, in the era of COVID-19, we need to develop new international protocols and best practices for the realities of our increasingly virtual business interactions.

Links:

• Marie's website
• IPIC on LinkedIn
• Marie on LinkedIn
• Marie on Twitter

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec and GALA.

James Banville has over 25 years of experience in international business development, marketing and sales with small and large Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies in the U.S. and international markets. Based in Orange County, California, he is currently leading international operations atThe Honest Company, a consumer goods company founded by American actress and businesswoman, Jessica Alba, in 2012. James speaks three different languages, and holds degree in Spanish Literature as well as an MBA from theThunderbird School of Global Management. Over the course of his career, he has held a number of senior leadership positions at some of the world's best-known CPG brands. He has led international sales teams a Kao Corporation, ConAgra Foods, Revlon Professional Brands, Henkel, and e.l.f. Cosmetics, before taking on the role of General Manager, International, atThe Honest Company in 2019. In this interview, James talks about how today's CPG companies are approaching international expansion, and their strategies for building great global brands in a rapidly evolving marketplace. Catch his valuable insights! Links:

• The Honest Company website
• The Honest Company on Facebook
• The Honest Company on Instagram
• The Honest Company on Pinterest
• The Honest Company on Twitter
• The Honest Company on LinkedIn
• The Honest Company Blog
• James on LinkedIn

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec and GALA.

John Pabon is the Founder of Fulcrum Strategic Advisors, Asia's only risk management firm that addresses the most critical areas of change, namely: shifts in geopolitics; the need for sustainability; and the strategic communications underpinning reputation. Fulcrum's mission is to help its clients capitalize on these seismic shifts through strategic communications and marketing, global policy development, personal branding, and better stakeholder engagement.

Originally from the U.S., John holds advanced degrees in Political Science and International Relations. He has worked with the United Nations, McKinsey, A.C. Nielsen, and as a consultant with BSR, the world's largest sustainability-focused business network. His career has taken him across the globe, and has given him the opportunity to live and work in China for almost a decade. In 2017, he launched Fulcrum Strategic Advisors, with offices in Melbourne, Hong Kong and Shanghai.

John has been named as one of the world's top 100 voices on modern China. He is the Resident Sustainability Expert at The Silk Initiative, a Shanghai-based brand consultancy. He is also a member of the United Nations Association of Australia, and serves on the Board of Advisors to the U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce and the Australian Chamber of Commerce's Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Committee.

John is a regular contributor to major publications, and he is a global speaker on issues of sustainability, geopolitics, communications, and societal change. His new book, Sustainability for the Rest of Us: Your No-Bullsh*t, Five-Point Plan for Saving the Planet, was launched in July 2020.

In this interview, John explains what the field of Sustainability encompasses, why companies need to set clear sustainability targets, how sustainability issues present opportunities for growing brands, how China has actually become a leader in global sustainability, and how the current pandemic is affecting the "Rise of the Asian Century". Make sure to catch John's fascinating insights.

Links:

• Fulcrum Strategic Advisors website
• Fulcrum Strategic Advisors on LinkedIn
• John's personal website
• John's book "Sustainability for the Rest of Us" on Amazon
• The Silk Initiative website
• BSR website
• United Nations Association of Australia website
• U.S. Green Chamber of Commerce website
• Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry website
• John on LinkedIn
• John on Twitter

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Dr. Ajay K. Jha is the Founder of InnoP – Innovative Preneurship, a boutique global innovation, incubation & mentor-driven co-working space located in Fort Collins, Colorado. InnoP incubates and accelerates start-ups in the Agri-Tech, Nutrition, Biotech, Healthcare, Energy, and Big Data sectors, and promotes global trade and investment.

Originally from India, Ajay has over 20 years of global business experience. He obtained his Ph.D. in biotechnology from Delhi University, and began his career as an Advisor for Agri-Tech ventures, building international partnerships between Indian companies and organizations abroad.

In 2001, Ajay relocated to the U.S. to pursue a post-doctoral degree, followed by MBA, at Colorado State University. Since then, he has worked as an expert consultant to a number of different American and foreign companies looking to expand their trade and investments internationally. He has worked with Fortune 500 companies, and helped U.S. as well as Indian companies enter the global market and internal attract talent.

At InnoP, Ajay now acts as a mentor to Colorado-based startups that are looking to go global. He helps them raise capital, build strategies for global trade, and develop partnerships overseas.

In this interview, Ajay talks about InnoP's holistic approach to incubation and acceleration, how solutions to local problems can often be scaled up to serve global needs, which sectors present huge opportunities for innovation, and why India should be of particular interest to U.S. based startups.

Links:

• InnoP website
• InnoP on LinkedIn
• InnoP on Facebook
• Ajay on LinkedIn

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Markus Kramer is a Managing Partner at Brand Affairs AG, an independent PR & Communications agency headquartered in Zurich. He is a brand strategy expert, with a deep knowledge of global marketing, and media & reputation management across multiple sectors, including luxury, automotive, financial services, and government institutions.

A native of Switzerland, Markus began his marketing career two decades ago, on the client side of the industry, at the Swiss offices of Honda. In 2003, he joined the Harley-Davidson Motor Company, where he led marketing efforts for over six years, first for the Swiss market and eventually as the Marketing Operations Director for EMEA (Europe, the Middle East & Africa). From there, took on the role of Global Marketing Director at Aston Martin, based in the U.K.

In 2013, Markus transitioned to the agency side by joining Brand Affairs as a Managing Partner. Since then, he has divided his time between London and Zurich, and he has become an Associate Professor of Brand Management at the Faculty of Management Sciences of the Cass Business School in London. He is the author of The Guiding Purpose Strategy: A Navigational Code for Brand Growth. And he is also a current Board Member of the Swiss-based BPN Foundation, a non-profit that supports entrepreneurship in developing countries.

Links:

• Markus' personal website
• Markus' book: "The Guiding Purpose Strategy"
• Brand Affairs website
• Brand Affairs on LinkedIn
• Brand Affairs on Facebook
• Brand Affairs on Instagram
• Brand Affairs on Twitter
• Markus on LinkedIn
• Markus on Twitter

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Kyle Hegarty has been called "the Indiana Jones of International Business". He was first featured on episode #158 of this podcast. Based in Singapore, he is the Managing Director at TSL Marketing, a global B2B marketing agency headquartered in the U.S.

Over the course of his career, Kyle has deciphered the culture code of doing business in the Asia-Pacific region, which includes some of the world's fastest-growing markets. His new book, The Accidental Business Nomad: A Survival Guide for Working Across a Shrinking Planet, details his triumphs and his failures as a global business growth specialist. The result is a no-holds-barred, gritty, and unvarnished account of doing business across cultures. The book features real stories of companies going global, and highlights the realities of doing business overseas. Each story gives fascinating insights and lessons into the cultural realities and unexpected surprises of modern globalization.

With upwards of over 70% of foreign business ventures failing due to cultural differences, Kyle shows how anyone can beat the odds by harnessing the power of cross-cultural data and by learning new skills to adapt in today's fast-paced, technology-driven world. Due to COVID-19, Kyle argues, globalization is actually accelerating rapidly, and cross-cultural skills are needed now more than ever, as we face entirely new challenges of doing business digitally, at an unprecedented rate, with cultures around the world.

Links:

• Leadership Nomad website
• Kyle's book: "The Accidental Business Nomad"
• TSL Marketing website
• TSL Marketing on LinkedIn
• TSL Marketing on Facebook
• TSL Marketing on Twitter
• Kyle on LinkedIn
• Kyle on Twitter

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.

Steven Hoffman is the Chairman & CEO of Founders Space, one of the world's leading incubators and accelerators, with over 50 partners in 22 countries. Founders Space has helped hundreds of start-ups scale their businesses, raise capital, and go global.

Before launching Founders Space in 2010, Steven was the Founder & Chairman of the Silicon Valley Chapter of the Producers Guild of America. He has served on the Board of Governors of the New Media Council, and he is a founding member of the Academy of Television's Interactive Media Group. He was previously based in Hollywood, where he worked as a TV development executive at Fries Entertainment, and he eventually went on to pioneer interactive television with his venture-funded start-up, Spiderdance.

Now based in Silicon Valley, Steven has founded several venture-backed start-ups, specifically in the area of games and entertainment, and he has worked as a Mobile Studio Head for the mobile games division of Infospace. In the course of his career, he has trained hundreds of start-up founders and corporate executives in the art of innovation, and provided consulting to many of the world's largest corporations, including Qualcomm, Huawei, Bosch, Intel, Disney, Warner Brothers, NBC, Gulf Oil, Siemens, and Viacom.

Besides his work at Founders Space, Steven is an angel investor, a limited partner at August Capital, a serial entrepreneur, and the author of several award-winning books, including "Make Elephants Fly" and "Surviving a Startup".

Links:

• Founders Space website
• Founders Space on Facebook
• Founders Space on YouTube
• Founders Space on Instagram
• Founders Space on Twitter
• Steven's books
• Steven on LinkedIn

This episode was sponsored by Vistatec.