In today’s global economy, selling goods around the world can bring large rewards. It makes good business sense to expand your prospective customer base to the more than 95 percent of the world’s population living outside of our country. Demand for American goods is growing every day.
Small businesses constitute 34 percent of total export dollars, and comprise approximately 97.8 percent of all exporters. At the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) we provide counseling, training and financing to ensure that small businesses have the tools they need to tap into the global market—and we’re seeing results. Since Fiscal Year 2009, SBA has guaranteed 6,400 loans to small business exporters for over $3.3 billion and supported more than $6.3 billion in exports.
The SBA and other Federal partners are all working to double our exports by 2014. To help reach that goal, the President recently signed trade agreements with Colombia, South Korea, and Panama to expand export markets. This National Export Initiative is a win-win, because access to more markets means more customers, more sales of U.S. goods and more jobs here at home.
According to the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration, here in Washington, export-supported jobs linked to manufacturing are approximately 8.6 percent of all Washington’s total private-sector jobs and 40.2 percent of manufacturing workers in Washington depend on exports for their jobs.
If you are a small business looking to export, U.S. Export Assistance Centers are a great resource. The mission of the Export Assistance Centers, which are staffed by professionals from SBA, Department of Commerce, the U.S. Export-Import Bank and other public and private organizations, is to provide the help that small businesses need to compete in today’s global marketplace. Visit their office at 2001 Sixth Ave., Suite 2610, in Seattle, Washington, or www.buyusa.gov/seattle.
SBA has made it a priority to help small business exporters by providing a number of loan programs specifically designed to help develop or expand export activities. If you own or wish to start a small export business, the following SBA loans may be available to you:
• The Export Express Loan Program offers streamlined financing up to $500,000. It is the simplest export loan product offered by the SBA. Any business in operation at least one year that can demonstrate that the loan proceeds will support its export activity is eligible.
• The Export Working Capital Program offers financing up to $5 million as a credit enhancement. This program is delivered through SBA Senior International Credit Officers located in U.S. Export Assistance Centers.
• International Trade Loan Program offers loan financing for fixed assets and working capital to businesses that plan to start or continue exporting, or that have been adversely affected by competition from imports.
If you already export your goods or services around the world and have used a federal government program or assistance to get there, the SBA also has something for you. SBA and Visa have launched the “2013 Export Video Contest” that will offer current small business exporters the opportunity to educate other small businesses about the benefits of exporting and the government programs that can help. Winners can receive up to $10,000 in prize money from Visa. We’re accepting entries through April 5, 2013. Visit challenge.gov for more information on eligibility and contest rules.
For more information, contact the Seattle District Office at 206-553-7310.
Calvin Goings is regional administrator of the Small Business Administration
