December 2005

Annual Meeting of the Members of the Organization of Women in International Trade
Date: December 16, 2005 at 8:00 a.m.
Location: Room B33 of the Bistro and Brasserie
(inside the Delta Chelsea Hotel) Toronto, Ontario
Details:
The purpose of the AGM is to:

1. To receive the annual report, the financial statements;
2. To approve the exemption of the corporation from audit requirements for the financial year ending December 31, 2004;
3. To elect the Board of Directors of the corporation;
4. To transact such further and other business as may properly come before the meeting or any adjournment thereof.

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November 2005

OWIT-Toronto's Annual Holiday Event
Hosted by Cassels Brock, OWIT-Toronto celebrated another successful annual holiday event on the evening of November 24, 2005. It featured an accessory sale by four of Toronto's hottest designers, an insider's look into what's hot this spring and a presentation by Susan Langdon, executive director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator and OWIT-Toronto's 2005 JoAnna Townsend Award recipient. There were also raffle and door prizes to be won and everyone left with the latest issue of ELLE magazine.

The featured designers were as follows:

BŠBÕS DESIGN
Unique and vibrant jewelry that marries semi-precious stones, sterling silver, pearls, crystals, and leather.

ACQUAMARINE
Vegetable ivory and natural stones fashion accessories.

LEAH BAZIAN
Special event capes, wraps and scarves provide sexy and stylish warmth and coverage for both evening and everyday clothing.

JABBERDUST
Hand embroidered scarves, wraps, stoles, shrugs and camisoles in fabrics such as tulle, mesh and silk chiffon.

Susan Langdon, executive director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI) and OWIT-Toronto's 2005 JoAnna Townsend Award recipient gave a presentation on TFI and the services they provide. Susan Langdon is a native Torontonian who graduated from Ryerson University's Fashion Design Program. Her career in the fashion industry has spanned over 20 successful years. Her love for fashion, strong interpersonal skills and leadership qualities has lead her to become the Executive Director of TFI.

TFI is a non-profit organization established in 1987. They are dedicated to helping and supporting new entrepreneurs in the fashion industry. They do this by providing showrooms, subsidized studios, a resource centre, supplier discounts and publicity exposure such as breakfast at the Drake Hotel. Here TFI members have the opportunity to network with anyone from Holt Renfrew's fashion director to fashion journalists from ELLE Canada.

TFI is the first of its kind in the world and a model for cities such as New York, Sydney, Kobe and Dublin. There have been a few members of TFI who have successfully exported their products into the United States. This has been accomplished by showcasing their products in Trade Fashion Shows or placing them in stores such as Marshall Fields and Holt Renfrew. Their strategy has been so successful that some TFI members are now supplying 70 to 150 stores in the U.S.

We were also treated to an insider's view of what will be hot for spring 2006. The key trends will be sweet versus sultry, combined with ruffles and romance. Some accessories to keep an eye on will be wide belts and military details on clothes. Some colours to look out for are your usual black and white but also orange, sunflower, brown and tan.

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September 2005

In Praise of OWIT Women - Annual BBQ and JoAnna Townsend Awards
Ceremony Susan Langdon, Executive Director of the Toronto Fashion Incubator (TFI), was honoured with this year's JoAnna Townsend Award at an our annual bbq and awards ceremony on September 20, 2005, sponsored by Grant Thornton LLP.

The award, supported by International Trade Canada, Industry Canada's Network for Women Entrepreneurs, Export Development Canada, Hodgson Russ, Ann Wylie Toal Designs and CMI Cosmetic Manufacturers Inc., recognizes an outstanding woman in Ontario who, through her business and personal networks, fosters opportunities that actively support women entrepreneurs to achieve success in international business.

"Winning the award was a completely unexpected but delightful surprise," said Susan. "I am very honoured to be recognized in memory of an incredible woman."

Susan was selected for her outstanding contributions in encouraging Canadian fashion designers to enter the international trade arena. Through one-on-one private consultations and by sharing her extensive knowledge, advice and contacts in foreign markets, she has educated and encouraged TFI's young entrepreneurs, many of whom are women aged 18 to 39, to sell south of the border. She maintains regular contact with business development officers in Canadian Consulates around the world, and with their help, has organized new vendor auditions in Toronto for major U.S. retailers. In addition, educational seminars and news articles developed by Susan share knowledge on topics such as Exporting to the United States, U.S. Trade Shows, and International Brand Development.

The award honours the memory of JoAnna Townsend, a champion of women exporters. In her role with the Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade (now International Trade Canada), Ms. Townsend was instrumental in introducing many initiatives to encourage more Canadian women to export and spearheaded the groundbreaking Beyond Borders report, the first research of its kind in the world on women and their role in international trade. Award finalists included Robin Kay, President, Fashion Design Council of Canada, Barbara Orser, President, Equinox Management Consultants Inc., and Co-Holder, Deloitte Chair in the Management of Growth Enterprises, University of Ottawa, and Deborah Turnbull, Vice President, International Trade Development, Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters.

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June 2005

Tapping into Trade Resources
A terrific group of entrepreneurs assembled as OWIT–Toronto presented an interactive panel in June 2005 to discuss trade financing resources available for women owned businesses preparing to export. Speakers from
International Trade Canada, Export Development Canada (EDC), The Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC), Heritage Canada, and the
Innovation Synergy Centre in Markham all spoke about the financing, consulting and mentoring capacities of their programs and how they can help women in business looking to grow.

Some specific programs that were discussed included: Heritage Canada's
Trade Routes program. It helps arts and cultural organizations and entrepreneurs to strategically increase their export capacity and sell in international markets. Support is available across all cultural sectors: performing arts; visual arts; film/video; broadcasting/television; music and sound recording; publishing; design; crafts; heritage restoration and preservation; and new media.

EDC offers a wide variety of risk management tools for exporters. It considers itself a hybrid bank and insurance company. Utilizing its insurance products can make your company more competitive to an overseas customer. BDC also offers financing tools as well as consulting tools under one roof. Both the BDC and EDC presenters reiterated that having a strong relationship with your bank is essential to successful international trade.

The Innovation Synergy Centre in Markham is a business advisory "hub" designed to accelerate the development of thriving enterprises with 10 to 50 employees. Its mission is to spur the growth of these companies to the next level through access to comprehensive resources, services and expertise.
Event host International Trade Canada, also described the wide range of services it offers to exporters, running the gamut from Team Canada events, assistance from overseas offices, to one-on-one assistance to exporters.

March 2005

The Do's and Don'ts of Selling Yourself as an Intern:
by Bogumila Lapinski

"The first stranger you meet may be yourself."
Debra Walker from the McCrae institute, on doing internships abroad.

OWIT-Toronto invited several industry professionals to share their ideas on how students can find internships and jobs after graduation. Guest speakers included representatives from the McRae Institute of International Management, the US Commercial Service, Export Edge, Scotiabank, Livingston International and the Canadian/African Business Women's Alliance.

Students who attended gained valuable information about how internships are constructed, which internships can lead to permanent positions and what employers are looking for.

The evening began with a presentation from Debra Walker of the McCrae Institute, who talked about her experience as a paid intern in the Dominican Republic. For one year, Walker worked as an Executive Director for the Dominican-Canadian Chamber of Commerce. The highlight of her internship was meeting Canada's prime minister on his first ever visit to the Dominican Republic.
For more information contact: dwalker@capcollege.bc.ca or visit www.capcollege.bc.ca/mcrae.

Another key speaker was Raj Dheer from the US Commercial Service, which promotes commercial interests between Canada and the U.S. Each year, the Service accepts over 140 interns from various disciplines to promote trade missions, pursue development and prepare market research. The interns work closely with senior staff members, who hone their skills to make the students more marketable at the end of their practicum. The internship program is 16 weeks in length, and the deadline for applications April 15.
For more information contact: Raj.Dheer@mail.doc.gov.

Some students were already familiar with the program offered by monkeysuit.ca and Export Edge, presented by Peter Varaklis at the OWIT event. This unique export internship program matches and mentors individuals between the ages of 15-30 who are interested in developing careers with companies that need assistance with specific export oriented projects. The program is sponsored by the Canadian federal government, and typical projects include Marketing & Sales, Business Development, Freight Forwarding, Logistics and IT related activities.
For more information visit: http://www.exportedge.net.

February 2005

International Trade Missions? Five tips for Success:
During OWIT-Toronto's February session highlighting Trade Missions, Mary Anderson of Trade Partners shared her tips for success for international trade missions.

Have you been invited to join a trade mission? Often a high-profile trade mission is the ideal opportunity for your company to make a big impression in a promising new market. The goal of trade missions is to assist companies to gain international market exposure, to find distributors, manufacturers representatives and strategic alliance partners in their respective industry sectors. Mission participation also educates companies in a number of key issues related to exporting or doing business within that international market. The key to gaining some return - whether new sales leads, business contacts or critical market information - depends on your willingness to commit time to prepare and follow-up after the mission.

Here are some tips for success based on practical examples gained from over a decade of facilitating international trade missions.

TIP 1 - Be Proactive:
Successful mission participants do their homework reviewing briefing material becoming familiar with all aspects of the mission agenda and conducting sufficient research to ensure that the host country represents a good opportunity for business development.

It's the little things that make the difference between success and failure. Companies that take the time well in advance to provide the background information requested including mission profiles, marketing material and have sufficiently investigated their international market potential are always better prepared to conduct business during the trade mission.

Have at least some of your marketing material translated. Identify the key messages that you wish to convey and take the time to have your marketing material professionally translated taking into account the local language usage.

You are a product specialist knowing the key selling features of your products and services. You know who and why Canadians buy your products. Remember that the mission facilitator, who is acting on your behalf to find prospective business partners internationally, is often a business generalist and will need to be briefed on the specifics of your products. If you have highly technical products or services provide the trade mission facilitator with a paragraph outlining the features that set your products or services apart.

From your Canadian experience identify the ideal business partners and highlight how you differ from your competitors. Give the trade facilitator the tools to help you get the most from your mission.

TIP 2 - Begin With The End In Mind:
If your company has a range of products and services, determine which ones are most suited for international market development. Concentrating on a shorter list of product or services will provide you with the competitive advantage gained by knowing your offerings will generate the most profitable return.

Sometimes the timing just isn't right. You might have solid domestic market sales yet insufficient resources both in manufacturing and in human capital to pursue international alternatives at this time. Consider going after international business when you have the resources available. International sales generally involve a more complex selling process and an investment in time to achieve returns.

Before participating on the international trade mission, clearly define your mission goals. Each mission participant will have different goals and expectations. Once you answer these simple questions you will be in a position to clearly articulate what a successful mission will be for you and your company.

• What are your reasons for participating on the mission? Do you have real business potential that youíve investigated?
• Who do you wish to meet during the mission? Have you developed a prospective list of the types of potential partners or contacts that will benefit your company?
• Why is your company participating in a mission now? Do you have adequate production and personnel to handle increased business prospects?

Get ready to follow-up before you go. Canadian firms generally don't follow-up well, so it's critical to determine in advance how follow-up will be handled. Even before the mission consider drafting letters perhaps with key phrases in the language of your mission visit. A simple thank sent immediately upon your return you will go a long way toward building solid, lasting trade relationships.

TIP 3 - Organize Around Your Priorities:
You want to be sure meetings in the host country will provide you with relevant information for your company - with "qualified" business candidates. You can help make this happen by:

• Using 'planned networking' - Develop a list of prospective contacts that you would like to meet while on the mission and provide this to the mission organizers. Given enough time it is easy to add to invitation lists for receptions and the mission facilitator appreciates your insights. Working closely with the mission facilitator you will have introductions to key people not only at business meeting but during the receptions;
• Submitting your requests for meetings early, so the mission organizers have time to identify the best possible candidates;
• Using the Internet or any on-line communication facility set up by the organizers to connect with your host-country colleagues and target customers in advance.

Take the time to have frequent conversations or communication with your trade mission facilitator. Open two-way communication will establish the shared goals to ensure that the right connections are included on your mission agenda. Motivated mission participants ready to work with the mission facilitator to pursue business meetings are the foundation of success.

TIP 4 ‚ Think Win-Win
Participating on trade missions raises your international corporate profile plus enhances company recognition with other Canadian mission participants.

Often strong business partnerships are forged between Canadian companies that are participating on the mission. First, you share a common goal in identifying the same international market to pursue business expansion and development. Secondly, companies on international missions tend to be open to new ideas. A company just beginning to consider an international market can draw inspiration and mentoring support from other business people on the trip. Missions are the ideal time to exchange ideas and gather insights to put into practice during international business appointments. Fellow mission participants provide a great source to gather timely feedback on ideas and concepts presented during the mission meetings.

See solutions in terms of the needs of the other party. Knowing the goals and needs of all mission participants helps you tune into prospective business.

On a recent mission, an electronic component manufacturer learned that a fellow mission participant was seeking a new component supplier. For the electronic component manufacturer a very important business lead became a domestic sale. You can start the dialog in advance of the mission to explore other common interests or goals with other participants.

• Ask for a list of products and services from everyone participating on the mission Draft a one-page e-mail introducing you, and then send it out in advance to all trade mission delegates.
• Being open to strategic alliances with mission participants might be a key in landing larger contract internationally.

TIP 5 ‚ Getting Invited To Participate In Trade Missions:
Ready to participate on a trade mission and looking to find one that's right for you? Many of OWIT-Toronto's partners have resources that identify potential trade missions that you can participate in. For more information see International Trade Canada and Ontario Exports Inc.

January 2005

OWIT Toronto members challenged by U.S. Consul General to take NAFTA to the next level :
January 20th marked the newly arrived U.S. Consul General, Jessica LeCroy's second presentation in the city:
"Looking North and South: Securing our Future Success."

Addressing OWIT-Toronto members and others in the business community, she focused on three keys to success in building better relationships; networking, consultation and partnering. Ms. LeCroy sees these as the key ingredients to growing relationships at all levels of business as well as working to solve challenges at the Canada/U.S. border.

She described the tremendous volume of trade that is exchanged at the Canada/U.S. border on a daily and annual basis. One of her key objectives as Consul General is to learn more about the challenges and work with local, provincial and federal stakeholders to find solutions that will keep the flow of trade moving efficiently and at the same time, keeping the border secure.

Ms. LeCroy also commented on the importance of north south relations under the new Bush administration. She mentioned that one of President Bush's first moves after his reelection was to affirm that partnership with Canada is a key priority.

With the success of NAFTA in North America, much attention is focused on how to take NAFTA to the next level. Ms. LeCroy cited two recent reports: one put forward by the Canadian Council of Chief Executives and the discussion of the Tri-National Task Force that was formed to explore options for NAFTA plus; looking at opportunities to expand the agreement. She called on members of OWIT-Toronto to review these reports and submit their comments. She feels that this consultative process offers members an opportunity to have input on future trade policy.

The complete text of the Consul Generalís speech can be found at: http://www.usconsulatetoronto.ca/content/about/LeCroy_Speech_0120.pdf