Hope Isn’t a Strategy: The Export Playbook That Works (Plus: Why a $20 Arabic Postcard Won a Distributor) - Show #152

In this episode, Wendy sits down with Mike Hubbard, Director of International Trade at the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina, for a practical, story-driven look at what actually makes exporting work. 

Mike breaks down how their team helps companies move from “we should sell overseas” to a real plan: covering compliance, market research, cultural training, distributor introductions, trade missions, and even grants that can reimburse costs like translation. Along the way, he shares vivid examples: a small home furnishings company that won business in the Middle East because she localized a simple postcard and website into Arabic, why “clunky” machine translation can quietly push buyers away, and how smart market selection (like targeting the UK and South Africa before Canada/Mexico for a medical device) can unlock growth faster than you’d expect.

You’ll learn:

• How to build an export strategy that isn’t “go to a trade show and hope”—including the core pieces Mike insists on: compliance, market intelligence, and a written market entry plan.
  
  
• Why translation and cultural adaptation are revenue levers (not “nice-to-haves”)—with real examples of how localized materials signal seriousness and reduce friction for buyers.
  
  

How to pick the right first markets and avoid expensive dead ends—especially when regulations, certifications, labeling rules, and relationship-based selling vary wildly by country.