Most of the time, our jobs are so stressful that we believe there's no time to do anything extra. But, taking some time each day or every week to study the industry we work in is what can make us stand out from all who else (who may also be struggling to get through the day).
One method I've discovered to achieve this is to stay up to date with industry news, trends, events coming up, and chatting with export bloggers and newsletters. Here are eight excellent blogs that I believe you should be checking out.
1. Tradeology
If you're an importer or an exporter in the future and are not aware of the resources that are offered through the U.S. Department of Commerce through the International Trade Administration (ITA) and you're not gaining on an abundance of information and sources. Official blog posts from the ITA is a great way to access the various services they provide such as export promotion, competitiveness of industry as well as trade and investment information. The ITA blog posts new content every week, and often more. You can read Tradeology's Tradeology blog on their website directly, or via the RSS feed.
2. Global Reach
There aren't many exporters that can get away with knowing the basics of AES. Automated Export System (AES). Global Reach is the official commerce blog from the Census Bureau, Global Reach is "short, sweet and to the point" when it comes to providing information about AES and describing regulations in simple language. Global Reach also provides statistics on commodities that are trending and provide answers to industry-related questions. Articles are updated every week.
3. ExportLawBlog
Legal experts Clif Burns as well as George Murphy of Bryan Cave discuss the latest news, changes , as well as information on regulation and laws governing exports, and more on this blog. The blog posts are updated every day. You can also follow this blog on ExportLawBlog directly on their website.
4. Export Compliance Matters
On her website, Doreen Edelman who is an lawyer for imports and exports within Baker Donelson's Washington, D.C., office of Baker Donelson, "simplifies issues, clears up confusion, and answers tricky questions" regarding international trade issues, including compliance with exporting laws, regulations and accountability. Edelman writes in the About section, "This blog is for exporters and business executives who are interested in hearing about the business issues that impact their business growth. The information is practical and can be used to grow their businesses to increase profits and reduce risk." The blog's new articles are published on a fluctuating time frame, typically once a month. You can sign up to blog posts via the RSS feed or via emails.
5. International Trade Law News
Written in the name of Douglas N. Jacobson of Jacobson Burton PLLC, this blog is focused on export control, sanctions as well as customs law FCPA antidumping, and other issues related to international trade. I would rank this blog higher on my top 10 blog list if they were regularly updated, as I enjoy the analysis which is typically provided with each blog post.
6. Export/Import Daily Update: Daily Bugle
O.K., this really isn't a website, but an email newsletter however this doesn't mean you can't take the time to sign up and take the time to read it. Jim Bartlett's newsletter is a source of information for readers of any changes to high-tech and defense trade laws and regulations. Daily Bugle Daily Bugle checks and publishes information of sources like the Federal Register, Congressional Record, Commerce/AES, Commerce/BIS, DHS/CBP DOJ/ATF, DoD/DSS, DoD/DTSA, State/DDTC, Treasury/OFAC, White House and other similar websites from Australia, Canada, U.K. and other international organizations and countries. The Daily Bugle's stories are delivered every day during business hours.
7. Customs Law Blog
This blog is more focused on importing, not exporting However, I'm adding it to my list because of the following reasons: (1) Most exporters have at the very the very least an occasional importer in addition, (2) Larry Friedman writes with a clear voice and isn't afraid to share his often humorous opinions on the stories he's reporting. Since I have an insignificant amount of experience with imports I've gained more knowledge on this website than I have from any of the other blogs listed previously.
8. International Trade Blog
Does it violate the law to include my own blog? Perhaps yes, but I'm mentioning it because I'm not aware of any other blog (including the seven mentioned above) which has the depth of information available in this. The blog is updated three times per week and includes more than 500 blog posts covering topics that range from basic export information, NAFTA and other agreements for free trade as well as Incoterms, letters of credit, and other methods of getting paid for international transactions. You can sign up to receive emails on the homepage at the top of the page.