Guest post by Brooke Faulkner An international assignment to Japan is one of the most rewarding achievements you could reach in business. Nothing feels better than to be wanted overseas for your talents and your accomplishments. However, most of us, unfortunately, have a habit of acting culturally unaware when we visit new places, especially if we don’t have a lot of interaction with diversity within our home country. While that’s a broad generalization, it happens enough for us individually to be aware and check ourselves before traveling overseas. I want to focus on business in Japan specifically right now because there is a lot of room to do international business with them. According to Alliance Experts, alternative energy, gaming, music, engineering, […]

On Perception – The Grass Seems Greener in France I sat on the train from Switzerland to France and my stomach gave me a signal. The four border officers who checked passports and went through passenger’s luggage seemed odd. I was on a different continent. In a different setting. I was in a novel. I wondered if I could explain myself in French. But no one wanted to know about my travel habits. I look white. I look the part even though I travel like a bag packer sometimes. What was going on? I did not want to turn around. Probably this was an uncomfortable situation for the person who was questioned. I assumed it was a refugee or someone […]

by Taylor McKinney As a solopreneur, you know that no good business can run without a solid digital strategy. After all, failing to plan is planning to fail. With a carefully curated approach, you can anticipate increased sales, new and returning customers, and long-term growth. Here’s what you need to know about creating your digital strategy as a team of one. Determine your mission This is the foundation upon which your entire business is run, so consider this one carefully. For example, Patagonia’s mission statement isn’t just about selling outdoor clothing and gear, but to “build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, and use business to inspire and implement solutions to the environmental crisis.” Ask yourself what’s at the […]

The holiday season is upon us, I am sure most of us are ready for a well-deserved break from work. Why do I bring this up? There are two main reasons for discussing it. The first, the more generally known reason is that the human body needs a break to recover motivation and energy. Extensive research by Harvard Business Review has found that more holiday time not only improves energy levels and happiness but is also linked to improved success rate and chances of promotion. You can read the findings of this research here. The second reason is specifically for expat professionals. While the holidays may be a time of joy and happiness for most people, they can be quite […]

The holiday season tends to bring up a lot of existential issues and old wounds. We might be missing loved ones and we might feel a bit more low than usual. If you are about to embark on an international assignment or project you could also experience cultural adjustment. Acclimatizing to a new locale, new cultural norms and social practices, ever-changing pandemic rules, children with identity issues, an injury, or an elderly relative, who just fell a third time and needed to be hospitalized.  These challenges bring with them additional levels of stress and dealing with them every day inevitably results in mental exhaustion, especially if you cannot be there in person and have to support through WhatsApp calls. You […]