Don't Try

"Don't try" is the two word suggestion engraved on Charles "Hank" Bukowsky's headstone.

Charles was a writer and artist with the ability to condense down complex ideas into simple sentences.

He was NOT asking us not to try. In fact, it's the opposite. He's one of 3 inspirations for how we help Global Chamber® members every day.

What inspires us?

Number one for me is the memory of my grandparents Joseph & Emma Brings, who became entrepreneurs at age 50 by starting their own machine shop in Queens, New York. My Pops became the 'go to' person for motor problems in NYC, because he would solve ANY problem. He did it by getting up early and doing whatever it took. I think about those two 'get it done' leaders every day.

Number two for all of us is focus on member success. It's not about us - it's about YOU. That's the way my grandfather thought, and I had the additional experience of working in Japan and in other demanding markets. Our team thinks similarly. For instance, Cesar Trabanco who most of our members know, has the same kind of intense member focus from his different career experiences.

Number three is Charles, a German-American poet, novelist and short story writer who published from the 1940s through early 1990s. My Pops never told a client "I'll try" when they came to him with a problem. He just asked questions and then got it done. So it is with our daily efforts. Member needs, typically centered on finding new clients, are listened to and then fulfilled, often involving extra efforts.

We're growing our global team in 525 metros with leaders who are doers, not tryers - like Colin Christie at GC Manila, Mi Jeong Hibbitts at GC Balt-Wash, Katie Keith at GC London, Rubby Golo at GC Accra, Tal Zilberberg at GC Israel, Larry Harte at GC Cincinnati and Denver, Susan Assadi at GC New York City, Christopher Herring at GC San Antonio, Christian Aguirre at GC Hermosillo, Aparna Ranadive at GC Mumbai, Maimun Mustafa at GC Dhaka, Shanker Damodaran at GC Ahmedabad, Lynare Robbins at GC Miami, Nelson Olavarrieta at GC Dallas, Phil Disant at GC Brazil, Todd Cornell at GC Northern Colorado, Noris Steenstrup at GC Costa Rica, Arturo Zamarripa of GC Guanajuato, Gabriela Castro of GC Queretaro, Kirsty Wilkinson at GC Melbourne, and on and on. And our members are the best of the best - investing in global business and success.

By the way this blog post was inspired by a member with decades of exporting experience who told me after reading our recent post "Why Every Exporter Should Be Part of Global Chamber" that it was all true, but that it's also too long. "Exporters don't have the time to read it"... so this is shorter ;-)

Most exporters underperform, and so make your life a little easier with Global Chamber®. Our team and members are available every day to give you the advantage you need to succeed everywhere.

Do or don't do. If you're an exporter, invest in the 3 T's for global success: Time, Talent and Treasury. If global business matters to your business, then make sure that your activities and investments are aligned with your growth priorities, not with what's always been done.

Don't try.

Doug Bruhnke - founder/CEO of Global Chamber

Global Chamber® is a growing and collaborating community of CEOs, executives and leaders in over 525 metro regions around the world, connecting member businesses to new opportunities for advancing growth and success. It's the only chamber of commerce in the world operating in hundreds of locations that helps exporting, importing and investing for members to connect through warm introductions to clients, partners, projects and resources. Invest in what you believe in. Invest in a more global and successful future.