Optimal Electronics is on a roll with cooking up software that electronic manufacturers absolutely love. What’s their secret spice? They whip up some cutting-edge tech that can be tweaked and twisted to fit exactly what their customers need. Initially, these tech whizzes were pretty chill, just providing their goods to companies in the States that would then ship them off internationally. But guess what? They’ve started mixing it up and are now selling straight to buyers in Mexico and Europe.
So, how did they start playing in the big leagues? The big boss, CEO Ranko Vujosevic, had a lightbulb moment and brought on board four super smart software engineers from Mexico. Thanks to the TN visa, which is part of the NAFTA deal, these folks could come work in the U.S. without a hitch. And just like that, Optimal started selling directly to Mexico, all thanks to these new team members.
Back in April 2017, the company got a helpful nudge from some funding through the STEP program, which is all about helping small businesses strut their stuff internationally. With this boost, Optimal got to show off in the big world’s fair of industry, the Hannover Messe in Germany. They were part of something big – the Texas Pavilion, where 10 other companies also got to shine, thanks to STEP.
At this mega event, Vujosevic bumped into Alale Allal, a whiz at international trade finance from Texas, who showed them the ropes of trading across the pond. This chance encounter was a game-changer. Allal hooked Vujosevic up with a lender back in Texas, and bam! They got a loan that meant they could offer some sweet deals to the contacts they made at the trade show.
But it’s not just about the dollars and cents. Optimal also tapped into the Department of Commerce’s brainpower to find customers in places like Poland, the UK, Hungary, and Germany. And Asia’s on the list too. This powerhouse duo of the SBA and the Commerce Department helped Optimal seal its very first Chinese customer deal by January 2018.
Vujosevic is pretty pumped. He’s like, “Look out, China, here we come – one customer at a time, we’re going to balance out that trade scale.” Before their adventure in Hannover, courtesy of STEP, direct exporting was pretty alien to them. But this lucky meetup with the SBA pro gave them the cash they needed and hooked them up with some key government contacts, paving their way to going global.
Here’s the kicker – you don’t have to jet off to Germany to find an SBA expert. They’ve got 21 of them sprinkled across the U.S. in different Export Assistance Centers, ready to help businesses paint a global footprint.
Want the lowdown on the STEP program or to find your nearest Export Assistance Center? A quick trip to the SBA websites listed above should sort you out.
