GBA

World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara's Global Business Academy (GBA)

World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara’s Global Business Academy (GBA) is a program for companies getting started in export, or enhancing their existing export international business. Through this ten-week course, companies will be educated by experts from the bi-national Buffalo Niagara region, enjoy 1-on-1 mentoring relationships and create their own export plan.

All educational courses and mentoring sessions will be delivered via Zoom. The GBA will also feature “open office hours,” enabling participants to interact and get questions answered in a group setting as they complete their export plans.

GBA participants should expect lots of relevant information, worthwhile interactions with speakers, mentors and peer companies, and game-changing strategies to grow your business.

 Click here to register for the program. 

TOPICS COVERED

In the GBA program, you'll have the opportunity to learn directly from top professionals in the Buffalo Niagara region in the following areas:

Export Plan Development
International Trade Resources
Sales
International Marketing
Trade Finance
Insurance
Legal Protection
International Tax
Process
Logistics and Supply Chain
E-Commerce

 

WHO IS RIGHT FOR GBA?

World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara’s GBA program provides everything you need to know to build a foundation for a strong export program. While the program serves companies who are new to exporting, as well as established exporters, companies with the following criteria will be in the best position to use the training and mentoring resources immediately: 

  • You are exporting a product, service or technology, but wish to diversify your export market or have taken exploratory steps to develop your business abroad
  • You generate more than $500,000 in annual revenue
  • You have been operating for at least two (2) years
  • You have a strong value proposition
  • You are willing and able to dedicate staff to participate in all stages of the program 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

PARTICIPANT REQUIREMENTS

  1. Participants must meet readyness criteria through a brief vetting process
  2. Participants must commit to engagement by key personnel/decision-makers
  3. Due to limited registrations available, participants must commit to participate throughout the entire program and delivery of their export plan. Participants who do not complete the program will not be eligible for grants or scholarships, and will be charged the full program fee.
  4. Participants must commit to participation follow-up surveys after the completion of the program for aggregate analysis of the program’s results

 

EXPORT PLAN WORK

  1. Companies work on export plans individually, and with mentors’ assistance, with a deadline of Week #7 to have a draft plan completed and submitted
  2. In between the last educational session and the start of the Mentoring sessions, WTCBN and USDOC will host two (2) “open office hours” video conference sessions for participants to ask questions – all mentors will be asked to participate in at least one of these sessions

 

MENTORING

  1. Mentors will be scheduled by WTCBN for 1-on-1 sessions with each participating company
  2. Mentoring sessions will run from 15-30 minutes, depending on the applicability of the topic/mentor to the participant’s current needs

 

TIME COMMITMENT

After the intro day, educational sessions will run beginning on October 19, 2022, one day a week typically for 1 1/2 - 2 hours depending on the length of the Q&A period. Following the educational sessions, participants will work on a guided export plan template. Once drafted, they will meet with mentors for one-on-one 30-minute virtual sessions to help strengthen and finalize their plan.

  

PROGRAM SCHEDULE

Week One - Introductions & Overview - Wednesday, October 19th and Thursday, October 20

Week Two - Business Development - Thursday, October 27

Week Three - International Trade Finance - Thursday, November 3

Week Four - Legal and Tax Considerations  - Thursday, November 10

Week Five - Supply Chain - Thursday, November 17

Week Six - Office Hours - Week of December 1st

Week Seven - Mentoring - Week of December 12

Week Nine - Submit Export Plan - January 13


PROGRAM COST 

This program includes one year of Membership for non-Members of World Trade Center Buffalo Niagara. Thanks to sponsorship funding, cost for companies to participate in the GBA Program is $1,500.

 

ASK US ABOUT ADDITIONAL GRANT OPPORTUNITIES TO HELP COVER PROGRAM COSTS FOR YOUR COMPANY

 

 

Click here to register for the program.

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683 Northland Avenue, Buffalo, New York 14211  |  Phone: +1.716.852.7160  |  info@wtcbn.com  |