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If someone had said to me five years ago, that 20% of my business today would be exporting
ice cream to China, I would've said, you've got to be crazy.
Bassett's Ice Cream in China? How is that going to happen?
You see my family has been in the ice cream business for a very long time, in fact over
a 150 years ago my great-great grandfather Lewis Dubois Bassett, pioneered our family
business from the back yard of his Salem, New Jersey farm.
He had a vision, a vision that began with the power of one humble hard-working mule.
LD Bassett as he is known today is living as a school teacher, but he had a passion
for innovation and delicious ice cream. He would have been proud to know that the
product that he invented is now being enjoyed by millions more outside the United States,
more specifically in China. Yes it's true, in 2008 Bassett's Ice Cream
was uniquely positioned to make the global leap.
My family's great American ice cream would soon be enjoyed by people on the distant shores
of China. While the opportunity was there I had so many
questions. I needed a guide with the very least a road map.
The small business administration in the guidance of our local SBA District International Trade
Officer helped pave the way. The SBA proved to be our roadmap.
Providing one-on-one advice, as well as, referrals in introductions to other valuable government
resources and programs. Among the organizations our SBA International
Trade Officer introduced us to with the export-import bank, which provides us with low cost credit
insurance for our foreign accounts receivables. Our regional small business development center
funded in part by the SBA, which assists us with research in special projects.
The US Commercial Services Export Assistance Center, which has provided advise in Introductions
to US government representatives in China, and food export USA branded program funded
by the USDA's Foreign Agricultural Service which provides matching funds for qualified
marketing expenses to promote export sales of US food products.
These are just some of the valuable resources the Small Business Administration has introduced
us to. As our international sales continue to grow,
the SBA offers export specific financing options as well, including the export working capital
program. The SBA and the various programs outlined
here has shown me just how easy and essential it is that we look outside our borders for
customers who appreciate a quality American product.
If we can do it so can you. Take the vision of my great-great-grandfather
and the powerful image of that one humble hard-working mule.
Use the SBA as your roadmap and increase your market on a global scale, that's my exporting
story where will your next customer come from?