📦 I'm on vacation in Italy this week with my family, so what better time to launch our international ecommerce episode! Perfect timing, right? Enjoy the show!
Thinking about taking your ecommerce brand global? In this episode, international trade expert and former U.S. diplomat Josh Halpern breaks down exactly what you need to know to start selling internationally—whether it's Canada, the EU, or beyond.
Josh shares tactical insights on fulfillment, payments, marketing localization, and how to manage cross-border expansion without getting buried in complexity (or tariffs). Whether you're just getting traffic from overseas or ready to open new markets, this episode will give you the roadmap.
Guest: Josh Halpern – CEO of Getting to Global | Creator of Culture Agents | The VanBassador
🔑 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:0:00 – Intro: Why go global with your ecommerce business?2:00 – Josh Halpern’s background as a global ecommerce leader5:00 – The “passive” vs. “active” global strategy10:00 – Is Canada the best first international step?13:45 – Fulfillment options: Ship from the U.S. or set up local?17:00 – Tech tools for cross-border payments, taxes, and checkout20:30 – Marketing to international audiences (without a huge budget)24:45 – Using AI to localize content, images, and even video in new markets30:00 – The must-have global tech stack (Shopify, Avalara, Payoneer & more)36:00 – How tariffs and global trade policies impact pricing and sourcing43:00 – Why China is reshaping global supply and what it means for SMBs49:00 – Josh’s passion project: Culture Agents comic series52:00 – What does a diplomat really do for global commerce?
🌎 Mentioned Tools & Resources:
* Avalara, Zonos, Airwallex, Payoneer
* SimilarWeb, Apollo, BlendAI
💬 Connect with Josh:
* LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/jshalpern
* Instagram: @Vanbassador
* Website: gettingtoglobal.org
🧠 Big Takeaway:Going global doesn’t mean going big right away. Start where you already have traction, use today’s tech to simplify operations, and test before you commit.
🔔 Don’t forget to like, comment, and subscribe for more insights from ecommerce leaders.
This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ecomrevolution.co
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