You’ve got a successful product or service at home, but should you brave it abroad? Exporting can bring huge benefits to a business, but it also brings with it a raft of uncertainties. Which market would be best for your product or service? Do you need to tweak your brand? How do you find the right local distributor who understands your product?
This week is Export Week, organised by UK Trade and Investment, and on Friday we will be running a live Q&A to answer all your questions about exporting. It might be that you want to export but are not sure where to start, or it could be that you are already exporting but have come across a particular problem.
Whatever challenges you are facing, our panel of experts will be here to offer advice and guidance. To ask a question, join us for our Q&A between 1pm and 2pm on Friday. Alternatively you can tweet your question to @GdnSmallBiz or email us at smallbusinessnetwork@theguardian.com and we’ll put it to the panel. You can also post your questions below in advance of the chat.
Our panellists
Lesley Batchelor (OBE) is director general of the Institute of Export and is active on the APPG advisory panel on trade and investment. Lesley is a champion of UK exporters, and gives evidence to the House of Lords Select Committee on government support for SMEs.
Philippe Gelis is CEO and co-founder of Kantox, a platform that supports small exporting companies to offset against the risks of trading in foreign currencies.
Kate Pinkerton is an international trade advisor with export experience spanning several markets: textiles, packaging, education; and regions: Europe, N and S America, The Maghreb, Sub-Saharan Africa, Scandinavia and the Middle East.
Paul Galpin is managing director of P2P mailing, a third party logistics solutions provider. He has worked within the express and mail industry for nearly 20 years.
Jodi Huggett directs business development at 4Eco, a sustainable technology company. She championed Britain’s ‘switch to green’, and exports renewable energy gadgets across the world.
Una Driscoll, mother of two, started her company Belt Up Kidz to keep her daughter safe in her buggy. She started her business from her dining room and now sells online and worldwide.
Charles Baughan is managing director of Westaway Sausages. Charles is an experienced entrepreneur and businessman. His family has 100 years of experience in the pork industry.
Simon Meredith is the managing director of Cheshire-based haulier Freight First. With over 23 years’ experience in the exporting market, Simon brings a wide range of knowledge on exporting for both small and large companies.
This content has been sponsored by UPS, whose brand it displays. All content is editorially independent.
Sign up to become a member of the Guardian Small Business Network here for more advice, insight and best practice direct to your inbox.
