LEAPING BEYOND LOCAL CONT.
“
Allow yourself to dream big and push those dreams and see if they’re feasible and if they make sense. Don’t sell yourself short."
– Melissa Funk, CEO and co-founder of Lynn & Liana Designs
SUBMITTED PHOTOS
As a result, Funk and her fam- ily decided to open a third-party warehouse in the Netherlands where their products are now shipped from to fulfil European orders. Mike Cancade says that still poses a logistical challenge in terms of making sure the warehouse is stocked with six to eight weeks’ worth of product at any given time. “This has been far more chal- lenging than the U.S.,” Cancade says.
Funk’s advice to businesses considering expansion into the U.S. or other international mar- kets is to think big. “Allow yourself to dream big and push those dreams and see if they’re feasible and if they make sense. Don’t sell yourself short,” she says. Cancade adds business owners shouldn’t be afraid to venture into foreign markets. “Don’t be scared of borders. They can be a bit of a challenge
but don’t be intimidated by them,” he explains. Cancade also recommends businesses access free services offered by the provincial and federal governments as well as their local chamber of com- merce. His company has worked with Canadian trade commis- sioners in several countries and he says they provided invalu- able support in helping get their products into new markets.
32
WINTER 2024
Powered by FlippingBook