Ideas worth spreading

The global business next door

95,040 views | Scott Szwast • TED@UPS

When you think "global company," what do you imagine? A massive conglomerate? A far-reaching tech corporation? Scott Szwast reveals that our image of the global business is wrong – 98% of US exporters are in fact companies with less than fifty employees. And yet, this only includes 1% of all US businesses. He explains why so many companies hesitate to leap across the border - and why they need to make the jump.

When you think "global company," what do you imagine? A massive conglomerate? A far-reaching tech corporation? Scott Szwast reveals that our image of the global business is wrong – 98% of US exporters are in fact companies with less than fifty employees. And yet, this only includes 1% of all US businesses. He explains why so many companies hesitate to leap across the border - and why they need to make the jump.

This talk was presented at a TED Institute event given in partnership with UPS.

Read more about the TED Institute.

About the speaker

Scott Szwast

Globalization strategist

With a palpable passion for the unpredictability of global trade, Scott Szwast has spent the last 25 years supporting international transportation. For 10 of them, he worked with an ocean freight line, helping to import and export goods. The last 15 years he has spent with UPS, deep-diving into distribution, transportation, technology, trade compliance and the countless other aspects of cross-border trade. Today, he is a marketing director for UPS, where he works closely with companies expanding into new markets to understand the particular needs of growing organizations and to develop the solutions to support them.

About TED Institute

Every year, TED works with a group of select companies and foundations to identify internal ideators, inventors, connectors, and creators. Drawing on the same rigorous regimen that has prepared speakers for the TED main stage, TED Institute works closely with each partner, overseeing curation and providing intensive one-on-one talk development to sharpen and fine tune ideas. The culmination is an event produced, recorded, and hosted by TED, generating a growing library of valuable TED Talks that can spur innovation and transform organizations.

Read more about the TED Institute

This talk was presented at a TED Institute event given in partnership with UPS.

Read more about the TED Institute.