International Trade

International Trade

Increase Your Business’ Stability with International Trade

Companies that export their products/services grow 15% faster and are 12% more profitable, than those that do not. Taking advantage of international trade opportunities could result in the following for your business:

  • increased profits
  • expanded sales potential
  • reduced dependence on the US market
  • eliminated seasonal fluctuations
  • improved competitiveness

Our international trade consultants are also NASBITE, International Certified Global Business Professionals (CGBP) with their own unique prior experience in international trade. Trade consultants can assist your business with:

  • basic training related to international trade
  • determining which licenses are required
  • industry market research
  • country requirements for product
  • preparing an Export Marketing Plan for your business
  • trade mission assistance

Export Marketing Plan Info

Featured Business Courses

International Trade Basics

If you have a thriving domestic company, maybe it’s time to consider exporting to take your business to the next level. Companies that export grow faster, are more profitable and are less affected by downturns in the domestic demand for their products and services. This course will provide you with a comprehensive overview on what it takes to go global.

Meet the Exporters

Experienced executives will share their accounts of what it takes to successfully export overseas and the obstacles they encountered along the way. Hear from long-term and new to export entrepreneurs. Their perspectives are sure to provide valuable time and money-saving insights for those just starting or wanting to take a fresh look at their exporting options.

International Trade Master Series

Take an in-depth look at the principal areas of international trade with Tampa Bay’s leading global experts. Information covered will help you strengthen your international business and become more competitive abroad. The master series will focus on the following components of international trade: International Marketing; Supply Chain Management; Global Business Management; Tax, Legal and Regulatory Compliance; Export Finance, Partners & Free-Trade Zones. The Master Series is a NASBITE-accredited training program that will help prepare you for the Certified Global Business Professional exam.

Training Calendar

Take advantage today by scheduling a consulting appointment with one of our certified international trade consultants.

  • Selma Canas

    NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP), Florida SBDC at USF, Tampa

    Specialties: International Trade, Export Marketing Plans, Market Research

    Selma Canas is responsible for guiding small businesses through the complexities of developing export marketing and international expansion plans and teaching seminars on basic international trade. She has developed more than 25 Export Marketing Plans during the past five years for local businesses, and participated in trade missions to Brazil, Chile, Canada, and the Dominican Republic. Canas has more than 15 years of experience in sales, marketing and customer service in a variety of industries, including freight forwarding, real estate and advertising. As a co-owner of Restaurant Guide USA, she increased sales and distribution points and tripled the size of the distributed product.

    As a real estate broker-owner, Canas carved a niche in the Latin American community and had a career sales volume of more than $37 million. Canas earned her bachelor degree in economics from the University of South Florida. She is a NASBITE Certified Global Business Professional and holds an Export and Trade Counseling Certification from the U.S. Small Business Association. Selma earned Florida SBDC at USF Employee of the Year honors in 2016. She is a member of Toastmasters international and is fluent in Spanish and Portuguese.

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  • Mitch Lairmore

    Florida SBDC at USF, Tampa

    Specialty: International Trade, New Technologies, Business Planning, SBIR/STTR, Marketing

    Mitch Lairmore comes to the Florida SBDC at USF with a strong background in business development, strategic planning and market research. He has extensive experience with product development teams and small companies in the commercialization of technology. For the past eight years he has worked as a staff consultant, providing commercialization assistance to small companies in the SBIR/STTR program for a very diverse range of technology development projects sponsored by the US Navy, Department of Energy (DoE), National Science Foundation, Department of Transportation and Department of Homeland Security. Prior to that time, he formed a sole proprietor and was a subcontractor to a prime contractor for the National Institute of Health, DoE and Environmental Protection Agency.

    Earlier in his career, he served as a business development director at Eastman Kodak, where his responsibilities included creating strategic plans for new products, development of intellectual property licensing plans and collaboration with partners. Lairmore was a co-founder of a venture team that progressed to the development phase within the Kodak New Opportunity Development initiative. He was marketing manager for a multimillion dollar data storage product development effort and secured corporate partners and three funding rounds. In addition, he served as a board member for a portfolio company of Kodak Ventures Group that transitioned to profitability. Lairmore holds a Certified Global Business Professional certification through National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators, is a Certified LivePlan Expert Advisor, and Strategic Management Performance Systems certified. He has assisted small businesses in exporting efforts by helping them identify and develop business relationships with international partners. He also assists clients in developing credible business plans for startup or growth. He holds an MBA from the William E. Simon Graduate School of Business Administration at the University of Rochester and a B.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Iowa.

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  • Eileen Rodriguez

    Regional Director, NASBITE Certified Global Professional (CGBP), Certified Trainer, Florida SBDC at USF, Tampa

    Specialty: International Business, Women/Minority Business Certification

    Eileen Rodriguez began working with the Florida SBDC at USF in 1997, providing one-on-one confidential consulting and teaching seminars in English and Spanish in the areas of starting a small business, international trade, and women and minority certification. Before joining the FSBDC at USF, Rodriguez owned her own business for four years. She has more than 22 years of experience as a professional businesswoman. Prior to working at the Florida SBDC at USF, Rodriguez owned a geological consulting firm for four years. Rodriguez has received several recognitions, including the MED Corp’s Minority Business Advocate Award in 2017; Hispanic Leadership Class Award in Business from the Tampa Hispanic Heritage, Inc. in 2013; Status of Latino Staff Award from USF in 2013; and the Pathways Award from USF in 2018. She obtained her bachelor’s from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master of Science and an MBA from the University of South Florida. She is active in many organizations including the National Minority Supplier’s Development Council, Minority Enterprise Development (MED) Corp. of Tampa Bay, Tampa Bay Women in International Trade, Fifth Third Bank’s Florida Community Advisory Forum, and the National Association of Small Business International Trade Educators.

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