2. AGENDA
Background To Business in The USA
Amazing Facts About Small Businesses In
America
Top 10 Iconic American Businesses (brief
description)
Documentary Video
3. Background To Business
in The USA
• For a century or more the US has led the way in banking and finance, high-
tech, computing and pharmaceuticals. US business methodologies have led
growth and innovation in a way rarely seen in the history of the world and an
understanding of how things work in the States is essential for anybody who
works internationally.
• More than any other industrialized country, the United States has adopted
what could be labelled a 'scientific' approach to business. Every aspect of
commercial life is studied and analyzed and this scientific approach is both
respected and acted upon.
• In the States everything is quantified and assessed. All processes, even down
to such issues as HR and Training are analyzed in a detailed manner and the
results of this analysis carry weight with decision makers.
4. Every major company was once a small business. Consider
the garage days for the founders of Microsoft and Apple.
"You need a lot of passion for what you're doing because it's
so hard," Steve Jobs once said. "Without passion, any
rational person would give up."
After all, bootstrapping a startup is one of the quintessential
elements of the American dream.
Amazing Facts About Small
Businesses In America
5. There are 28 million small businesses in the U.S.
-- which outnumber corporations 1162 to 1
6. 70% of small businesses are owned and
operated by a single person
10. The 77 million people that make up the US small
business workforce would rank as the 17th most
populous country in the world, just ahead of Iran
11. It takes just 6 days to start a business in the US, compared
to a whopping 38 days in China
Here's how long it takes in some
other countries around the world:
New Zealand -- 1 day
Singapore -- 3 days
Saudi Arabia -- 5 days
US -- 6 days
UK & Ireland -- 13 days
India -- 30 days
China -- 38 days
12. And it costs 6x as much to start a business
in India than in the US
13. Only 50% of businesses survive five years --
though most (70%) hit the two-year mark
17. A small business went bankrupt every 8 minutes in
2009
Small business bankruptcies 2005-2009:
2009 -- 60,837
2008 -- 43,546
2007 -- 28,332
2006 -- 19,696
2005 -- 39,201
18. Only 2% of small businesses are franchises --
most (54%) are home-based
19. 60 to 80% of all new jobs come from small businesses
"This number fluctuates when
some small businesses grow
enough to become classified as
large businesses, and when new
small businesses are created.
From 1999 to 2000, small
businesses accounted for 75
percent of all new jobs created.
By 2010, small businesses account
for three quarters of net new jobs
in the United States."
20. In New York City, immigrants make up 46% of the
incorporated self-employed
21. Top 10 Iconic American Businesses
companies that best represent America, have financially outperformed
their competitors, and whose brand and business resonate with
consumers and industry insiders alike.
These American businesses have stood the test of time and are
positioned to dominate in the 21st century
22. P&G, is an American multinational
consumer goods company
headquartered in downtown Cincinnati,
Ohio, United States, founded by William
Procter and James Gamble, both from
the United Kingdom. Its products
include pet foods, cleaning agents, and
personal care products. Prior to the sale
of Pringles to the Kellogg Company, its
product line included foods and
beverages. In 2012, P&G recorded
$83.68 billion in sales. P&G remains a
highly selective employer as less than
1% of all applicants are hired annually.
10
23. The first Starbucks was opened in Seattle,
Washington in 1971 by three partners-English
teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev
Siegel, and writer Gordon Bowker. Starbucks is
the largest coffeehouse company in the world,
with 20,891 stores in 64 countries. From
Starbucks' founding in 1971 as a Seattle coffee
bean roaster and retailer, the company has
expanded rapidly. Since 1987, Starbucks has
opened on average two new stores every day.
Howard Schulz has always liked to describe his
company as a "small business" model, a place
where people can go to relax outside of home
and work. The model reflects in the build of the
stores, with comfortable seating, and ample
space to sit and read or work on school work.
9 Starbucks
24. 8 Google
• Google has managed to create a global brand almost without anybody noticing and
has done so by focusing almost solely on the quality of its service offering. Larry Page
and Sergey Brin founded the multinational corporation in January 1996 as part of a
research project when they were both PhD students at Stanford University. Since then,
the Internet based brand has sky rocketed, reporting revenues hitting $50 billion in
2012.
• Google, from day one has been dedicated to providing the best possible search
outcome for its users. It has spent billions trying to perfect its algorithm and continues
to do so.
• Also helps million of businesses achieve recognition on a daily basis. Google has
never changed its mission statement, which is “to organize the world's information and
make it universally accessible and useful” – and it’s that consistent and unwavering
focus that has seen the brand reap success year-in year-out.
25. 7 General Electric Company
General Electric, or GE is an American multi-national
with specialties in four fields: Energy, Technology
Infrastructure, Capital Finance and Consumer and
Industrial. According to Josh Bersin, writing for
Forbes, at the epicenter of GE’s success is expert
management. “Successful businesses today are run
by experts,” he says. New leaders at GE are expected
to develop a ‘deep expertise’ – a complete and total
understanding of the business and its different facets.
The day of the General Manager is gone, says Bersin.
In order to achieve global success in today’s business
environment, you need specialist leaders with deep
pools of knowledge.
26. 6
The Nike athletic machine began as a small distributing outfit
located in the trunk of Phil Knight's car. From these rather
inauspicious beginnings, Knight's brainchild grew to become the
shoe and athletic company that would come to define many
aspects of popular culture and myriad varieties of 'cool.‘
Nike emanated from two sources: Bill Bowerman's quest for
lighter, more durable racing shoes for his Oregon runners, and
Knight's search for a way to make a living without having to give
up his love of athletics.
Nike's power to sell comes from deep-rooted yearnings for
cultural inclusiveness and individual athletic accomplishment.
These seemingly paradoxical desires collide in consumers hearts
and minds and produce the unyielding zeal for Nike shoes and
apparel.
27. 5
If Wal-Mart was a country, it would be the 26th largest economy in the
world, with the global grocery giant registering sales of $466.1 billion in
2012. According to Fortune Global 500 list in 2013, Wal-Mart is the
second largest public corporation in the world and the biggest employer
with more than two million members of staff; it is also the world’s
largest retailer.
when you Google: “What makes Wal-Mart so successful?” the top
eight responses are related to the efficacy of its supply chain. When it
comes to consumer demand within the grocery sector, end price plays a
huge role – Wal-Mart has been able to drive down the price of its
products through streamlined operations and meticulous waste
management and thus attracts more customers.
28. 4 Apple
Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded the tech company
in 1976 with the aim of developing and selling personal
computers. Today the brand is best known for its
hardware products including the Mac, the iPod, the
iPhone and the iPad, as well as consumer software
solutions such as the OS X and iOS operating systems.
In 2008, the technology firm was named the most
admired company in the United States by Forbes
magazine and held the title until 2012. In 2013, Apple
overtook Coca Coal to become the world’s most valuable
brand according to Omnicom Group’s ‘Best Global
Brands’ report and in 2014 it is still going strong holding
6th place on the Fortune 500 list. The Apple brand is
synonymous with innovation and has been credited time
and time again with leading the way when it comes to
product and concept development.
29. 3
Walt Disney is one of the most powerful
companies, in one of the most powerful sectors
of any economy: entertainment. Before it became
a $60 billion dollar company, with interests
spanning the globe, Disney was more closely
associated with the vision of the man after whom
it was named. The company was started by a
high-school dropout who loved to draw and had a
passion for learning. Walt Disney founded an
empire on fantasy and risk taking. While he was
at it, he built fantastical amusement parks,
developed a brand recognized by children and
adults all over the world, and created an
educational foundation for future entertainment
innovators.
30. 2
The McDonald's Corporation is the world's largest chain of
hamburger fast food restaurants, serving around 68 million
customers daily in 119 countries. The company began in 1940
as a barbecue restaurant operated by Richard and Maurice
McDonald. A McDonald's restaurant is operated by either a
franchisee, an affiliate, or the corporation itself. McDonald's
Corporation revenues come from the rent, royalties, and fees
paid by the franchisees, as well as sales in company-operated
restaurants. In 2012, McDonald's Corporation had annual
revenues of $27.5 billion, and profits of $5.5 billion.
“Since 1955, we’ve been proud to serve the world some
of its favorite food. And along the way, we’ve managed not
just to live history, but create it: from drive-thru restaurants
to Chicken McNuggets to college credits from Hamburger U
and much more. It’s been quite the journey, and we promise
this is just the beginning-we’ve got our hearts set on making
more history.”
McDonald’s
31. 1
Coca-Cola has dominated the beverage industry
on a global scale for more than 125 years. So how
has the company managed to remain at the top of
its game for such a long time? Marianne Bickle, a
contributor to Forbes magazine, puts it down to
Coca-Cola’s dedication to corporate responsibility.
“Bickle’s view of the brand is extremely
interesting. Primarily it goes to show that
corporate social responsibility does play a role in
brand development, but secondly it highlights
that marketing, product development, product
design and brand philosophy all need to be
continually reviewed and improved to keep a
company fresh, exciting and ultimately profitable.