The country’s exports have been rising substantially during the last few years. This has been the thrust of our economic policies. With scene pointing towards improvement and development every day, foreign trade as a recognized profession has come of age.

International Business on the other hand is being a part of an International organization or MNC (Multi National Company) i.e. a company having offices in more than one country. You could be a part of any function in the same – Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Operations or trade. This can be pursued after a BBA / MBA degree.

(A) The Prospects

With the tremendous expansion in trade, job opportunities in this area are plenty. Professionals are employed in buying houses; export units and the international departments of multinational companies. There is a great demand for Indian professionals. There is good scope for those who desire to launch out their own export units, but they are advised to gain enough experience before such a venture. For those desirous of secure government jobs, there are job opportunities in regulatory bodies like the STC and the MMTC.

(B) The Job

1.) Open new markets for trade – identify, understand demographics of market, liaison and create new international markets for products.
Identify export / import counterparts, negotiate trade agreements and contracts
2.) Be completely aware and up to speed with all country’s trade regulations i.e. imports / exports, foreign currency, transport etc.
3.) Ensure quality maintenance and adherence to trade contract details
4.) Complete all regulatory documentation and submission of the same to banks, authorities etc.
5.) Ensure timely payment of import / export dues
6.) Working knowledge of foreign currency market to cover all imports and exports.
7.) Awareness of Banking regulations for trade and loans / capital available to Export companies
8.) Working in banks in trade departments to check documentation and lending against the same.

(C) Personality traits

9.) Good inter-personal relationships
10.) Enjoy interacting with other cultures / people etc.
11.) Knowledge of some foreign language
12.) Good International knowledge
13.) Hard-working
14.) Enjoy traveling
15.) Eye for detail
16.) Deadline oriented
17.) Mathematical mind

(D) Salaries

1.) The starting salaries range between Rs 4-5 lakh per annum.
2.) Peak salaries would match those in any other area of management and are approximately Rs. 1- 1.5 Crore per annum.

(E) Study Routes

You could do an MBA course in any area and then join a multi-national company or else you can do a specialized degree in foreign trade. One needs to be a graduate to apply. Leading foreign trade institutes include:

Places to Study:
1.) Gujarat University, Ahmedabad
2.) Indian Institute of Foreign Trade, New Delhi
3.) Indian Institute of Management, Lucknow, Calcutta, Ahmedabad, Bangalore, Kozhikode
4.) Indian Institute of Packaging, Mumbai
5.) Punjab University, Chandigarh
6.) S. P. Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai
7.) Symbiosis Institute of Foreign Trade, Pune
8.) The Delhi School of Economics, Delhi University
9.) University of Madras, Chennai

Other MBA Institutes are –

Sample PG Degrees / Diplomas in Business Administration –

1.) FMS, New Delhi
2.) XLRI, Jamshedpur
3.) Jamnalal Bajaj (JBIMS), Mumbai
4.) SP Jain, Mumbai
5.) Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies, Mumbai
6.) Symbiosis, Pune
7.) XIM, Bhubhaneshwar
8.) MDI, Gurgaon
9.) IMT, Ghaziabad
10.) IMI, New Delhi
12.) Sydenham College, Mumbai

After Graduation – A degree in subjects such as a BBA, economics, or commerce will also give you an entry in the sector. However growth prospects are limited and a PG degree is necessary for timely promotions.

Sample BBA Degree Colleges –
1.) IIPM – present in New Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Hyderabad, Calcutta, Bangalore
2.) Infinity, New Delhi
3.) Sukhdev College
4.) Wigan & Leigh – present in New Delhi, Mumbai
5.) IILM – New Delhi, Gurgaon
6.) Rai University
7.) Amity

International Colleges:

USA:

Monterey Institute of International Studies
The College of St. Catherine
Western Washington University
Bethel college
University of North Carolina
Marywood University
Clarion University of Pennyslavania
City college of San Francisco

UK:

Aston Business School
Regants Business School
Grafton College of Management
Aberdeen Business School
University of Worcester
King’s College London
Hamilton College

Australia:

Murdoch University
Macleay College
University of Wollongong.

If you want to get a cheap website to build your business, you can find website rental. You can go to Consultsites.com to get websites for sale. You need to pay $20 per month only and it is including the hosting. They offer competitive rates for the website and they offer friendly service to their customer. You can easily find ready to use fully functional web sites. They provide wide variety of Amazon Affiliate websites, Drop ship websites, and Google AdSense. You can follow their simple steps to start your own online business. Firstly, you should choose you website, design, and domain. You can use the already existing domain name or you can get the new one for free. Then you will meet professional team which will connect with you to make a website. Finally your website will be ready within 24 hours and they will send you an e-mail which contains all of the needed information.

If you want to get the cheapest websites for sale, you can go to Consult-soft co uk. They provide website for sale turnkey and established for online business, dating, drop ship, affiliate, or AdSense website. You need to pay £10 per month only.

Unjustifiable debt encounter over a period. Thus, patience and effort is required to reduce, and at last eliminate Mastercard obligations. The average household has a card debt around $8,000. Sadly, there are people carrying far higher balances. Due to high finance charges, card companies make it difficult to payoff the debt.

assuaging debt is doable. these same people continue to use their visa cards for harebrained purchases. To satisfy a wish, folks regularly go on shopping expeditions, holidays, and eat out using their cards. The 1st step to getting shot of Visa card debt is to no longer use the cards.

Don’t cancel credit accounts. Breaking the practice of constantly employing a card is difficult. once money is being used for every purchase, you’ll notice a balance reduction. Get a private debt consolidation Loan debt consolidation loans have their good points and bad points. Rather than paying a Mastercard with a loan rate of twenty %, you can get a private loan with a rate of eight or nine p.c. Sadly, there’s a drawback to debt consolidation loans. Some folks with terrible spending activities may collect more debts once their mastercards are paid off. The point of debt consolidation loans isn’t to make room for new debts. When this occurs, many folks become financially strapped because they have doubled their liabilities. Transfer Balance to a 0 Percent card One strategy for speedily paying down Mastercard debt involves transferring the balance from a high interest Visa card to a 0 % interest card. With a high IR card, the minimum payments hardly cover the finance fees. Therefore, the balance never decreases. Nil p.c interest cards supply an interest-free period.

Practically every economy is built upon the backs of small businesses and entrepreneurs. Every day someone comes up with an idea that will make a great business. Every day, these same people wonder how they will come up with the cash to get the business off the ground. The classic answer is to look for investors, and this is where things can go bad.

If you’re seeking investors for your business, you are going to need to form a business entity. Corporations and limited liability companies are the most popular, and give you the ability to trade ownership interest in exchange for cash contributions. With a corporation, investors will buy shares in the corporation. With limited liability companies, the investors will buy membership interests. Regardless, this traditional exchange gives rise to a problem common among small business owners, to wit, giving away too much equity.

From Joy to Misery

A common mistake made by new business owners is to give away too much equity when getting initial cash contributions. This occurs because you let insecurities impact you evaluation of the business. Instead of giving away two percent of equity in exchange for $50,000, you give away ten percent. Let’s look at an example.

I start a business selling digital gadgets. I prepare my business plan and realize I need $250,000 to get everything up and running. I have $50,000, but need to find the rest somewhere. I form a corporation with 1,000 shares and start approaching potential investors. I offer 100 shares for $25,000. I find five investors that give me $125,000 in exchange for 500 total shares. In summary, I now have $175,000, but have given away half the equity in the business. While I am not happy about this, I am still so enthused about the business idea that I shrug it off.

The business gets rolling and I start selling gadgets like a madman after one year. This gives rise to a serious cash problem. I am getting orders, but can’t fill them because of cash flow problems. To make a proper go of the business, I need another $100,000.

Where am I going to get $100,000? My business is only one year old, so a bank won’t touch it. My investors haven’t seen penny one back, and are unwilling to put more money in. My only option is to sell another 400 shares for $100,000. Fortunately, I sell the shares, raise the money and stay in business. However, there is a major problem.

In raising all of this money, I have now sold off ninety percent of the equity in the business. I am left owning 100 shares and only 10 percent of the business. This is going to severely impact my physical, emotionally and overall motivational well being. Slowly but surely, I am going to become very bitter. It was my idea and I am doing all the work! It isn’t fair that I only own 10 percent of the business!

On second thought, this impression may come on very quickly. Regardless, the business is destined to experience major problems because the primary motivating force is no longer motivated. Unfortunately, many people with business ideas run into this problem.

If you are starting a business, guard your equity at all costs. Selling equity should be a last resort. Try to get loans or trade profit sharing in lieu of selling equity. If you must sell equity, do so only in small percentages. You do not want to the small business person in the example above.

President Ecker, with his long and varied experience in this field, addressed himself to the solution of this problem, made particularly difficult by the continued decline in opportunities for the profitable investment of insurance funds. Money was accumulating in the treasury because it was almost impossible to find proper investment channels.

Under these conditions and with a consciousness of civic responsibility, Mr. Ecker turned his attention to the field of moderate rental housing. At the age of 70 he launched a building program unprecedented in social character and magnitude, to provide homes for persons of medium income in New York City.

He located a large tract in The Bronx, guided the planning of adequate buildings and services, and saw step by step the fulfillment of his hopes in the completion of a model community, Parkchester. By the early 1920’s, 36,000 people lived there, a splendid contribution to the moderate priced housing program of the city and the Nation.

Similar housing developments were undertaken under Mr. Ecker’s direction both in San Francisco and Los Angeles, and later in Alexandria, Va. Such building programs, without precedent in the United States for a private company, were recognized by national and private agencies as an important contribution to the housing problem in the period of war emergency.

Notwithstanding the splendid record of the major companies, various movements for investigating the life insurance business and health insurance providers were initiated in Washington. In 1938 the Congress of the United States responded to a message from President Roosevelt and included among the subjects to be investigated by the Temporary National Economic Committee certain investment phases of the business of life insurance.

The investigation was assigned to the newly created Securities and Exchange Commission. Those responsible for gathering evidence to submit to the T.N.E.C. lost no opportunity to seek out material for criticism in the business and directed much of their attention to the Metropolitan. The company took a firm stand in behalf of its policyholders and presented voluminous documentary evidence to show that it had conducted its many activities in the public interest, and that its size had not involved any abuse of economic power-that its position as investor of trustee funds as prescribed by Statute precluded such power.

Nor had its size interfered with its effectiveness as a social organization. In fact, the company had increased in initiative and in service as it had grown. After the conclusion of the hearings, the comment of the Chairman of the T.N.E.C. was that the life insurance business had come through with flying colors.

The failure of the effort to find serious fault with the administration of life insurance in general is best evidenced by the character of the recommendations which were made by the Temporary National Economic Committee. These, for the most part, had to do with a number of suggestions as to modifications in the practice of State supervision. The impression made on the public by these hearings is to be measured by the fact that, during their progress and after their close, the amount of new insurance written by the companies and the lapse rate were exceedingly satisfactory.

This was particularly marked in the case of the Metropolitan, which in 1941 reached the total of more than $25,000,000,000 of insurance in force, issued more business in both the Ordinary and Industrial Departments than in several years past, and achieved in both departments the lowest lapse rates on record.

But if the insurance companies came through this Federal and other investigations unscathed, it must not be supposed that this business has been without its trials and tribulations. No human institution has ever sprung into perfection, like Athena from the head of Zeus; and the life insurance business has had its growing pains.

Debt financing is financing a company by selling the bonds, notes or mortgages held by the business. Basically it is borrowing money to keep your business running. Long term debt financing is typically associated with larger assets such as buildings, equipment, land, and large machinery. The schedule for repayment for long-term debt financing spans more than a year. Short term debt financing is mostly associated with operations of the business such as inventory purchasing, payroll, and supplies. The repayment of short term debt financing happens in less than a year. With debt financing, your business does not have give up future profits or ownership in the company like with equity financing.

Debt financing is more commonly known as selling bonds or debentures. Debentures are tools used by large companies to raise capital for their projects and operations. This is known as a debt offering since the company literally goes into debt to the investors until the price of the debenture is paid back, plus interest, or until it is converted into stock. The company must record this debt in their balance sheet. If bankruptcy occurs, the debenture holders are considered creditors and must be paid back by the companies remaining assets. Debentures are a way for companies to raise capital without having to use their assets or give up ownership in their company. This leaves their assets free to do other things to generate capital for the business.

The first thing a new company has to consider is its size and what it can reasonable afford in this regard.

For example, if you are a two man operation that has just begun showing a moderate profit; spending a ton of money on a huge trade show display would be foolhardy. In such a case, rental may be the best and wisest option.

To put it in perspective, here are a few things you should look at when trying to figure out the feasibility of buying versus renting a trade show display.

1. How often will I use this display — if you plan to be a frequent participant at a particular trade show then buying the exhibit would be a smart move. However, if it is a one time deal, then buying the display won’t make sense, as the cost of purchasing the showcase far exceeds the cost of renting it for a few days.

2. Advertising and marketing budget – many businesses have an annual allotment of funds that is set aside for marketing. Keeping this in mind, one should evaluate how buying the display would be beneficial in the long term. Certain types of businesses fare much better in a trade show atmosphere than others making the purchase worthwhile. Assess how the purchase of a trade show display would help your company in the end.

3. Other trade show considerations – funds are limited within a smaller company, which is why money will have to be distributed so that it is applied into more than one area. If most of it goes towards the purchase of the display booth, you’ll have very little left for what will go inside of it.

4. Upkeep and storage — buying a booth display means having it keep it somewhere. You can opt to store in your garage but there is always the chance the thing can get mangled between shows. When you rent, you don’t have to worry over such things, in fact, many trade show officials take care of putting the display up and taking it down at no extra cost.

5. Expansion and changes can be easily made — when you buy tradeshow displays very little can be done to upgrade it without tremendous cost. On the flipside, renting affords a business the opportunity to make changes if necessary. These changes can encompass anything, from making your showcase even larger to adding new and appealing attractions to the booth itself. Either way, you really don’t want to be restricted when it comes to making your display the best it can possibly be.

Really, the skies the limit when one opts to rent as opposed to buy a trade show display. When it comes to marketing, a new business should have to the ability to be progressive and explore new and interesting concepts.

Now, there are some who argue that a bought display allows them to commit to one recognizable idea that people will begin to remember. Although a valid argument, one could point out that even major, well known product icons had to be overhauled as time went on. As society changes, so does its tastes in the things that it likes aesthetically and idealistically.

A company that doesn’t keep this in mind is quickly left behind.

In the end, renting a tradeshow booth is the smartest choice for any fledgling company. Renting not only gives such a company the ability to start small and expand, it helps them meet the ever changing needs of the buying public so that they maintain a foothold in their niche market for years to come.

Debt financing involves taking out loans that must be paid back over time, generally with interest.  Businesses can borrow money over the short term (under one year) or long term (more than one year).  Principal sources of debt financing are banks and government agencies, such as the Small Business Administration (SBA).  Debt financing offers businesses a tax advantage—the interest paid on loans is typically deductible.  It also limits businesses’ future repayment obligations for the loans, since the lender does not receive a share of ownership in the businesses.

However, there are some drawbacks.  New businesses sometimes experience difficulty making regular loan payments when they have irregular cash flow.  Debt financing can therefore leave these businesses susceptible to economic downturns or rising interest rates.  Businesses that carry too much debt are more likely to be perceived as risky, and therefore less attractive to investors and less able to raise additional capital in the future.

Equity financing, by contrast, involves obtaining money from investors in exchange for an ownership share in the business.  These funds may come from family members and friends of the business owner, wealthy investors, or venture capital furms.  The principal benefit of equity financing is that the business is not obligated to repay the funds.  Instead, the investors hope to realize a positive return on their investment in the form of future profits.  The association with high-profile investors may also enhance a new business’ credibility.

The chief disadvantage to equity financing is that the investors become partial owners of the business and therefore gain some control over business decisions.  As ownership interests are weakened, managers face the possibility that they could lose autonomy in operating the business.  Also, businesses that rely excessively on equity financing are likely not making the most productive use of their capital.

Debt and equity financing are both important ways for businesses to obtain capital for their operations.  Determining which to use or emphasize depends on the goals of the business and the extent of control managers would like to maintain.  Experts recommend that businesses use both kinds of financing in a commercially appropriate ratio.  This ratio, the debt-to-equity ratio, is a critical factor used by analysis to determine whether managers are running a business in a sound manner.  While debt-to-equity ratios vary widely by industry and company, a reasonable ratio should generally fall between 1:1 and 1:2.

According to some experts, businesses should rely more on equity financing during the early stages of their development, since such companies may experience difficulty repaying debt until they achieve a consistent cash flow.  On the other hand, many start-ups may have trouble attracting sufficient venture capital until they demonstrate strong profit potential.

In short, all businesses require sufficient investment capital in order to succeed.  The most sensible strategy is to obtain capital from a variety if sources, using both debt and equity financing, and hire professional accountants and attorneys to facilitate financial decisions and transactions.

By Christopher Y, Guest Contributor

Before your business takes the dive into debt financing, make sure you have prepared for the associated risks with borrowing, so when you do take the leap, you don’t belly flop. Preparation is vital. How can you get a perfect 10 so you can finance your business? Let’s take a step back and look at how banks evaluate risk and how they view businesses.

Depending on what stage your business is in will have a huge impact on the way a bank looks at your business:

Stage 1: Are you a start up (have you been in business two years or less)? Stage 2: Are you an established growing business (have you been in business for more than two years and still growing; i.e. are your sales still expanding, not yet stabilized)? Stage 3: Or, are you a mature business with a stable sales cycle (have your sales reached a plateau and are no longer growing rapidly)?

Knowing where your business is in its growth cycle will better help you prepare for the bank lending process.

Debt Financing for a Start-up (Stage 1)

A start-up business is going to have the most difficult time obtaining bank funding.  Think about it; ideas are worthless without execution.  If we could all capitalize on our ideas, then everyone would be in business for themselves.

Evaluating Risk
Banks approach each deal based on the amount of risk they are undertaking and start-ups are as risky as they come.  This is why it is vital for a business to be completely prepared for the bank underwriting process. You need to be prepared to answer any and every question that a bank might ask, be your best advocate, and able to sell your business as a good risk.

So, what can you expect?  While every deal that a bank looks at is unique and presents its own risks and challenges, there are some common things that most banks will look for.

Be prepared to provide:

A business plan that gives a thorough explanation of your business and its strategy A project cost worksheet (what are you going to use the money for?) Management resumes (how much experience do you have in this field?) Two years of personal tax returns and all schedules for every owner of the business (typically defined as a person who owns 20% or more of the business) Personal financial statements for each owner Two or three years of projections showing the business’s expected cash flow (broken down monthly) A business debt schedule (does the business have any other debt? I.E. personal notes, other start up financing, etc) Collateral (what do you have in terms of assets that the bank can take as collateral?) It should also be pointed out that most banks have minimum credit score requirements for all parties guaranteeing debt (a 700 or greater credit score for start ups and 650 or greater for established businesses)

Though useful upfront information will get you into the front door, don’t be surprised if a bank requests additional information. Start at a bank where you have an existing relationship and have a candid conversation with a loan officer.  Ask them what their credit, collateral, and equity requirements are for their business loans; be sure to explain your business in detail, as this can have a bearing on the requirements.

Banks look at things from many different angles to evaluate your risk.  You may be working with one bank employee, but there are probably several parties involved in underwriting your deal; each person will approach your deal from a different perspective.

Start-up Resource Guide

Though debt financing is challenging, we hope you haven’t abandoned your business. While approaching a bank for start-up financing might seem like an impossible, daunting process, it doesn’t have to be.  There is free help out there. Two great resources available to everyone are the SBDC and SCORE.  Both are government sponsored programs funded by tax payer dollars.

The SBDC (Small Business Development Center) is a government-funded program that seeks to provide assistance to current and prospective small business owners.

Some Useful Services for Startups:

Viewing and interpreting your credit Writing a business plan Making projections Developing a management plan And many other useful, free services

If they can’t help you, more likely than not, they will know someone who can.

SCORE (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a nonprofit association that exists for the purpose of educating small businesses owners and promoting the growth of US based small businesses.  SCORE offers services similar to the SBDC.

While it can be difficult for some to obtain bank financing, it is not impossible; you also do not have to go at it alone.  Whether you decide to approach the task alone, utilize a free service, or pay a consultant or a broker to help you, you need to understand that preparation is vital.