The globalization of business means companies have interests in other countries and it is necessary to have their people on the ground. It is well documented why understanding the values, attitudes and behaviours of people in various countries are key to knowing how to do business with them. Businesses take for granted that everyone’s culture is somehow an international culture of business. This is false. Each country and culture have different approaches to doing business.

Cross-cultural training has become a vital part of the expatriate relocation process. Businesses are realising the need to equip their employees with the cultural know-how to ensure a smooth transition process as well as maximising their effectiveness when in the new host country. With cross-cultural training, work is not negatively impacted and companies avoid costly mistakes.

1. Globalization has increased the importance of cross-cultural training due to the realization of the importance of cultural differences. Contrary to some popular belief, we are not all becoming the same: in fact, we are experiencing our differences more acutely than ever before.
2. The most successful businesses now and in the future will be those that maximize their most valuable resource – their staff. By offering staff cross-cultural training a business minimises stress, frustration, failed assignments, poor retention rates and low morale that can result when people take on overseas assignments without proper training.
3. Poorly prepared staff has a certain impact on the bottom line. A failed 3 year overseas assignment can cost a company upwards of £1 million. This does not even account for loss of business, impact on reputation and poorly managed work.
4. Important skills training such as man-management, client relationships, etc cannot be addressed properly through informal chat sessions between colleagues. In order to develop global skills one needs training administered by professionals with culture-specific expertise, trained to counsel individuals through difficult processes of adjustment.
5. Businesses need cross-cultural training because their competition is providing it to their people. Choosing between working with people who know how things are done “over there,” and novices with incorrect assumptions, which company will get the deal?

Empire Business Brokers is a network of business “brokers” who are all working to sell businesses and franchise opportunities as well as working as consultants for people who are trying to buy an already existing business or franchise. This company has over seventy offices throughout the United States, Central America, Spain and Mexico. This company is more than a simple business “flipping” operation.

The company offers individuals who are looking for a new career the opportunity to start their own Empire Business Broker office. Do not be fooled though-this is no “get rich quick” scheme. This opportunity requires a significant amount of time, energy, work and money investment to get off the ground.

Empire Business Brokers offers potential brokers training and the franchise promises that investors will realize a return on their investments within a year of opening operations. They will have access to profit centers and the consultants who work in them.

They will also have access to the always growing databases of franchises and businesses for sale as well as the database that lists the people who are hoping to find the perfect business to buy. As broker with Empire Business Brokers, you will receive training and marketing support on an on-going basis by the other successful brokers in the business.

This is not a quick decision. The start up capital is between twenty five thousand and fifty thousand dollars. Hopeful brokers need to fill out a Franchise Application Form and then begin a dialogue with one of the company’s Directors. If you meet all of the requirements you will then visit the corporate offices in Buffalo and meet with the company President as well as the company’s Directors. From there, you will begin to work on the franchise deal.

Obviously, once you have been granted permission to open your own franchise office of Empire Business Brokers, you are able to hire employees and pay them commissions on the businesses that they sell, but how you do that is up to you. You might work best as a sole proprietor.

This is not a company that you should enter impulsively-in fact, you can’t start your own brokerage impulsively, the company is not set up that way. If you can afford the startup capital and you have some sales talent and don’t mind working very hard to get off the ground, you could do very well as an Empire Business Broker. In fact, we encourage you to open your own business if you think you have what it takes.