UPS Presents Global Trade Seminar for Chicago Businesses

Facilitated by TheEntrepreneurSchool.com, Seminars will Help Local Small- and Medium-Sized Companies Break Trade Barriers

CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Although still concerned about the economy, a growing number of small- and medium-sized companies are looking for effective ways to compete in today’s rapidly changing business environment. Growth through Global Trade, a new interactive seminar series presented by UPS (NYSE: UPS) in conjunction with TheEntrepreneurSchool.com, will help these businesses learn how to leverage exporting to advance their company’s bottom line.

“This tells us that American small- and medium-sized businesses need greater education on how to successfully export, and even more access to resources that can help them seize the unlimited opportunities that exist beyond U.S. borders.”

The next seminar will be held at the Evanston Chamber of Commerce on October 5, 2010. The session will begin at 8:30 a.m. and last until 12:30 p.m. Jim Beach and Chris Hanks, Atlanta-based small business experts and founders of TheEntrepreneurSchool.com, will facilitate the Growth through Global Trade seminar series.

“There are several key factors which, when added together, can help any business grow through international trade,” said Beach. “Growth through Global Trade will shed light on those key factors and provide tangible, realistic next steps designed to help Chicago-based companies capture their share of global trade opportunities.”

Additionally, in partnership with World Trade 100 magazine, UPS launched the Growth through Global Trade Award on August 24, 2010. The award will recognize a small- or medium-sized company that has achieved success through exporting. Businesses are able to submit their nominations online at international.ups.com/globaltradeaward. The winner will be announced in January 2011.

“Data from UPS’s 2010 UPS Business Monitor United States shows that small- and medium-sized companies that export are more adaptable and resilient, but only one-third of these exporters have found that global trade has made a significant impact on their bottom line,” said Dan Brutto, president of UPS International. “This tells us that American small- and medium-sized businesses need greater education on how to successfully export, and even more access to resources that can help them seize the unlimited opportunities that exist beyond U.S. borders.”

UPS and TheEntrepreneurSchool.com are offering the Growth through Global Trade seminars free of charge. Following the Chicago event, an additional seminar will take place in Cleveland. For more information or to register, visit ups.com/seminar.

UPS is a longtime advocate of the benefits of international commerce. In addition to presenting the Growth through Global Trade seminar series, the company recently sponsored the Export Forum at National Small Business Week. Also during National Small Business Week, UPS unveiled the results of its Business Monitor United States, a nationwide survey of small- and medium-business exporters. Finally, UPS has developed a series of guides that offer compelling insights into business trends in specific international markets. ‘Snapshots for Small Business’ guides on Brazil, Canada, China, India, Poland and Vietnam can be downloaded at pressroom.ups.com/snapshotsforsmallbiz.

UPS (NYSE: UPS) is the world's largest package delivery company and a global leader in supply chain and freight services. With more than a century of experience in transportation and logistics, UPS is a leading global trade expert equipped with a broad portfolio of solutions. Headquartered in Atlanta, Ga., UPS serves more than 215 countries and territories worldwide. The company can be found on the Web at UPS.com and its corporate blog can be found at blog.ups.com. To get UPS news direct, visit pressroom.ups.com/RSS.