Bead’s Centennial Celebration a Success

Bead’s Centennial Celebration a Success – Last Thursday Bead Industries celebrated a monumental achievement: its 100-year anniversary in continuous business.  I’m extremely proud to have been a part of the company’s history for the last 16 years, and that a small family business in Connecticut can accomplish such a milestone. Though a little damp and foggy, more than 150 people came […] http://ow.ly/2GLYSy

Family Succession Planning Part II – In

Family Succession Planning Part II – In March, I wrote about family succession planning and how to drum up interest… http://ow.ly/1iV35Z

Business Etiquette in Europe: Don’t Be an Ugly American

Last time I wrote about Electronica, the huge trade show Bead will attend in Munich, Germany.  It’s important at that show to leave our American “business casual” at home and adopt a more formal European way of conducting business.

Bead Industries owned a joint venture in England for many years.  I always enjoyed traveling to the UK and relished the laid back and sometimes archaic ways in the old villages: my favorite being Chipping Camden in the West Midlands.  Conducting business more formally was fine, but sometimes you just wanted to cut loose.  Don’t.  As I adjusted to the formalities, it became a safe haven.  You could have disagreements, but they were easily resolved with calm, metered reasoning.  What was interesting, though, was how confusing conversations could sometimes become even though both parties were speaking English.  (At times it is much easier to communicate with our South Korean partners than UK friends – but maybe that’s just me.)

I found an article in the Connecticut Export Connection August newsletter that will help prepare our team to conduct business in Germany: “Doing Business in Europe – An Etiquette Primer for Americans”.  Not only are dress and manners important in business, they provide a positive first impression.  If we’re professional, we should look and act professional.  At trade shows in the U.S., inquisitive prospects are shown catalogues and product and given presentations, but they are rarely invited “into” the booth.  Quite the opposite occurs in Europe.  Exhibitor booths are set up specifically to invite prospects “inside.”  Unlike America, business is conducted and actual sales orders taken “in” the booth.  We will have refreshments, food and a translator on hand to welcome prospects and conduct one-on-one meetings.  It is not uncommon to serve German beer in the booth, similar to plying prospects with tequila at trade shows in Mexico.

Just because we can find all our favorite fast food chains across the pond, doesn’t mean we’re still in Kansas anymore.  I find it refreshing to adopt foreign norms and experiencing a different side of life.