Egypt matters

Freedom appears to be breaking out all over in the Middle East. The cool thing about freedom and democracy is that it leads to people getting richer. That's because, left to their own devices, people will work to better their circumstances. There are hundreds of millions of people in the Arab nations that have been living with sluggish economies and impoverished institutions because their greedy leaders' misrule. If those situations improve in places like Tunisia and Egypt, smart local companies could make a bundle rushing into those opening economies.

Finding a local agent is the big key to getting involved in a foreign market. You need someone on the ground who knows how business works in the target country and what the most effective channels are for reaching customers. Just reading up on local regulations is never enough because how regulations are interpreted and applied is at least as important as what is written in black and white. The agent will also be a key player in crafting messages for the new market because a local understanding of nuances and language is so important.

Trade shows are often good places to start looking for an agent for a foreign market. The country's economic development offices will often have booths at large, international shows and these can be good places to find contacts who can connect you to other contacts that make eventually lead to your agent. Universities are great sources as well. The nice thing about places like Egypt is there are lots of well-educated, English speaking young men there who are very hungry for a better life.