TradeMark Express Blog: All Things Trademark

Starting a Business Series: Start an Import/Export Business

Yesterday's post signaled the beginning (or rather I should say, continuing) of our Starting a Business Series. For the next few weeks, I'll post some handy links & information about starting different types of businesses.

On to the post…

The best routes to take are to research the process of starting a business as well as the industry you're interested in.

I recommend checking out the Small Business Administration
, Entrepreneur, Start Up Journal, Wall Street Journal & Nolo’s Starting a Business – Resource Center. All four are great informational resources for the new/small business owner.

Associations may be a good avenue to explore. These organizations will address many of the thoughts, questions and concerns you'll inevitably have as well as many you haven't anticipated yet.

• The Federation of International Trade Associations
• Professional Association of Exporters and Importers

Research, research, research – this cannot be stressed enough. Read as much as you can about the industry. Here are some book titles that are relevant:

• Building an Import/Export Business, 3rd Edition by Kenneth D. Weiss
• Import/Export: How to Get Started in International Trade by Carl A. Nelson
• Start Your Own Import/Export Business (Entrepreneur Magazine's Start Ups) by Entrepreneur Press
• Importing Into the United States: A Guide for Commercial Importers by United States Custom Service
  

There are plenty of free informational resources out there. Here's just a handful:

• How to Find Success in the Import Export Business by Randy Wilson
• A Dozen Tips for Starting an Import/Export Business by June Campbell
• How to Start a Successful Import Business Using the Internet by Nowshade Kabir