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Building Business Beyond Our Borders

I have been in many places, but I’ve never been in Cahoots.
Apparently, you can’t go alone. You have to be in Cahoots with someone.

I’ve also never been in Cognito. I hear no one recognizes you there.

I have, however, been in Sane. They don’t have an airport; you have to be driven there I have made several trips.
Thanks to my friends, family and work.

I would like to go to Conclusions, but you have to jump, and I’m not too much on physical activity anymore.

I have also been in Doubt. That is a sad place to go, and I try not to visit there too often.

I’ve been in Flexible, but only when it was very important to stand firm.

Sometimes, I’m in Capable, and I go there more often as I’m getting older.

One of my favorite places is to be in Suspense!
It really gets the adrenalin flowing and pumps up the old heart! At my age I need all the stimuli I can get.

And sometimes, I think I am in Vincible, but life shows me I am not!

I have been in Deep### many times; the older I get the easier it is to.

What I’ve Learned

By Andy Rooney

I’ve learned….that life is like a roll of toilet paper. The closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.

I’ve learned….that the best classroom in the world is at the feet of an elderly person.

I’ve learned….that when you’re in love, it shows.

I’ve learned….that just one person saying to me, “You’ve made my day!” makes my day.

I’ve learned….that having a child fall asleep in your arms is one of the most peaceful feelings in the world.

I’ve learned….that being kind is more important than being right.

I’ve learned…..that you should never say no to a gift from a child.

I’ve learned….that I can always pray for someone when I don’t have the strength to help him in some other way.

I’ve learned….that no matter how serious your life requires you to be, everyone needs a friend to act goofy with.

I’ve learned….that sometimes all a person needs is a hand to hold and a heart to understand.

I’ve learned….that simple walks with my father around the block on summer nights when I was a child did wonders for me as an adult.

I’ve learned….that we should be glad God doesn’t give us
everything we ask for.

I’ve learned….that money doesn’t buy class.

I’ve learned….that it’s those small daily happenings that make life so spectacular.

I’ve learned….that under everyone’s hard shell is someone who wants to be appreciated and loved.

I’ve learned….that the Lord didn’t do it all in one day. What makes me think I can?

I’ve learned….that to ignore the facts does not change the facts.

I’ve learned….that when you plan to get even with someone, you are only letting that person continue to hurt you.

I’ve learned….that love, not time, heals all wounds.

I’ve learned….that the easiest way for me to grow as a person is to surround myself with people smarter than I am.

I’ve learned….that everyone you meet deserves to be greeted with a smile.

I’ve learned….that there’s nothing sweeter than sleeping with your babies and feeling their breath on your cheeks.

I’ve learned...that no one is perfect until you fall in love with them.

I’ve learned….that life is tough, but I’m tougher.

I’ve learned….that opportunities are never lost; someone will take the ones you miss.

I’ve learned….that when you harbor bitterness, happiness will dock elsewhere.

I’ve learned…. That I wish I could have told my Mom that I love her one more time before she passed away.

I’ve learned….that one should keep his words both soft and tender, because tomorrow he may have to eat them.

I’ve learned….that a smile is an inexpensive way to improve your looks.

I’ve learned…. that I can’t choose how I feel, but I can choose what I do about it.

I’ve learned….that when your newly born grandchild holds your little finger in his little fist, that you’re hooked for life.

I’ve learned….that everyone wants to live on top of the mountain, but all the happiness and growth occurs while you’re climbing it.

I’ve learned….that it is best to give advise in on two circumstances; when it is requested and when it is a life-threatening situation.

I’ve learned….that the less time I have to work with, the more things I get done.

Building Business Beyond Our Borders

By Cal Wilkerson

Whenever I talk with my colleagues in the business community, there's a similar thread that runs through most conversations: How to boost business during an economic period which is the worst many of us have experienced.

While there is no simple solution, there are opportunities. One is to explore prospects beyond our borders.

For many, this might sound too daunting – an option mired in red tape and overwhelming complexity. However as someone who has built a solid amount of business overseas, I encourage you to consider the possibilities before reverting to your comfort zone. Let me share with you the steps I took that you might want to consider.

I'm in the business of cremation equipment and have been for more than 30 years. Back then, the U.S. cremation rate was a modest 2-3%, so the company I worked for was eager to determine if there was potential for our products outside the domestic market. We first focused on Mexico and South America. Although cremation was almost non-existent in South American countries, we speculated that it would increase in popularity and – here's the key ingredient – we were willing to be patient. Since there were virtually no manufacturers of cremation equipment in South America, establishing our reputation would give us a competitive advantage when the demand for cremation increased.

We spent nearly three weeks visiting government officials and leading businessmen in Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. Eventually, we appointed locally owned, reputable firms to represent our products. Several years later, we made a similar trip, this time to New Zealand and Australia. While the rate of cremation in these countries was much higher, the market was controlled by a few large companies and many of the crematoria were owned by local councils. However we recognized that the opportunity was there because the equipment was expensive and not environmentally friendly. Our strategy was the same as in Mexico and South America, and again the relationships we made paid off in time.

Our first breakthroughs came in Mexico and New Zealand. The representative we appointed four years earlier finally closed on his first sale to the city government of Mexico. In the same year we installed equipment at two private funeral homes in New Zealand.

Next, we applied our strategy in the Asian market, leading to representation in China, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan, and in Europe with similar results. During this same period we began to devote time and energy to the mature European market. This was a much more difficult task as there were a number of established manufacturers and the cremation rate in the industrialized countries exceeded 50%. However, the equipment was overpriced and not as environmentally friendly as our units. We persisted and by the mid-90s had installations in Spain, Italy, England, Germany, the Netherlands and Russia.

The relationships built in the past paid off. What are some of the factors that have led to success in the international market?

Hard work. Nothing is accomplished without it.

An understanding of the country and its culture.
Partnering with reputable companies in each country and requiring that they establish a staff to service the equipment sold.

Willingness to adapt our equipment to meet the local conditions and traditions.

Determination to exceed the quality, reliability and features of manufacturers within the country.

How successful has our strategy been? Over the past five years, half of our business has come from the international market. We have enjoyed immense success in Brazil where we are the largest supplier of cremation equipment. Australia has become a major market for us and in September we completed our first installation in Malaysia.

I tell you of our journey and its rewards because it can be your story, too. Building business beyond our borders is a marathon effort, not a sprint. But it is well worth the time, attention and resources required. Opportunities exist where you might not have expected them. Recognizing potential is the first step in your journey.

Cal Wilkerson is Vice President of Sales and Marketing and one of the principal stockholders of U.S. Cremation Equipment, a division of American Incinerators Corporation, based in Florida. He can be reached at
cwilkerson@uscremationequipment.com or (321) 282-7357. www.uscremationequipment.com

How to Fly the United States Flag—Ten Guidelines

According to VFW

The flag should be hoisted briskly and lowered ceremoniously.

The flag is never allowed to touch the ground or the floor.

When hung over a sidewalk on a rope extending from a building to a pole, the union stars are always away from the building

When vertically hung over the center of the street, the flag always has the union stars to the north in an east/west street, and to the east in a north/south street.

The flag of the United States of America should be at the center and at the highest point of the group when a number of flags of states or localities or pennants of societies are grouped and displayed on staffs.

The flag should never be festooned, drawn back, nor up, in folds but always allowed to fall free.

The flag should be displayed at half-staff until noon on Memorial Day and then raised to the top of the staff.

Never fly the flag upside down except as a signal of distress in instances of extreme danger to life or property.

The flag is never flown in inclement weather except when using an all-weather flag.

The flag can be flown every day from sunrise to sunset and at night if illuminated properly.