Home > Management > International Business > Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans


Greg Brown

Guide to Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans

What you need to know as a foreign national business owner


Extremely
Useful
7.1
out of 10

Add Your Comments
 
 
Email Guide to Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans to a friend
Save the Guide to Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans to My Work.com Favorites
Print the Guide to Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans
link to this page
Save to del.icio.us
digg it!


Is there anything more daunting then moving to a foreign land and looking for your place in the sun? Of course, try moving to a foreign country and opening a business!

The United States has long been the global petri dish for unfettered (although not unregulated) capitalism. Understanding the basics is key if you are foreign person looking to invest.



Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Get started with small doses aimed at foreign investors


The U.S. government is very good about encouraging foreign investors, publishing scads of data and information about nearly every corner of the economy.

I recommend: The Small Business Administration, for instance, operates a portal called Business.gov, with details on taxes, hiring, safety and other key topics.

Calculate your risks


The United States is the largest, most diversified and generally considered one of the most open economies on the planet. Yet, if you are from Singapore, for instance, it might seem slow or antiquated in some aspects.

I recommend: Compare the performance of the United States against your expectations with this World Bank study of global business bureaucracy.

Research the regulations that will affect your business


Much of U.S. investment and corporate law can be broken down into easier to handle chunks for laypersons. Although hiring a lawyer is essential in many cases, understanding the law is key to beginning that conversation.

I recommend: The World Bank keeps an extensive sector-by-sector breakdown of business law as it pertains to specific industries.

Download the book, usually for free


A number of national law firms offer detailed guides into the hundreds of pages for free, hoping you'll become a client.

I recommend: One particularly well-done (and long!) PDF file is available from Thelen Reed and Priest.

Read, read, read -- and read some more


Getting started in U.S. business will be easier if you come into the picture with at least a sense of what is going on in your sector or the area of the country where you intend to invest.

I recommend: Thankfully, the Web is jammed with this kind of data, probably too much of it. Get a good guide to what matters at the Michigan State University GlobalEDGE guide site to the U.S. economy, including publications, reports and databases. Another big but manageable site is Fed World, the government's overall guide to the 30 million Web pages published by the U.S. government.

Make sure your own papers are straight


Starting and running a business is complicated enough. Better to get your own immigration status completely clear before investing.

I recommend: The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Center publishes extensively on this topic, including how to quality for permanent status by being an investor in the country.

Tips & Tactics
Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

  • The United States can be a viciously competitive place, at least compared to the more-closed economies of the world. Yet trade groups and business assocations are full of members happy to help you succeed. Join them immediately and reap the benefits of networking.
  • Unlike many countries, it's not a given that all or nearly all significant business activity takes place in the main city. New York is certainly home to a big slice of the economy -- and much of the financial world -- but cities like Los Angeles, San Francisico, D.C. and Denver are no joke, and some cities and states are larger than entire countries, economically speaking. Find your industry or customers first, wherever they might be.
  • Taxes, cost of living, cost of doing business -- all of these things can vary dramatically from place to place. It's better to consider the United States the way one might look at Europe: France is lovely, but are labor laws too strict? Check out your business headquarters in advance.

Featured Vendors

Extraordinary Individual Travel Awards
A selection of flexible travel experiences giving your key people the ability to choose their most desired activity in their preferred destination.
www.ExclusiveAwards.com

Automate Expense Management Systems
You'll save time, increase visibility and gain control. It's worth it. Read Report.
www.expensewatch.com

Own a Hotel Franchise
New AmericInn Hotel franchise opportunities now available. Call today for details!
www.americinn.com/franchising

For the Tongue-Tied in China
chinaONEcall - the interpreter in your pocket. 24/7 telephone link to bilingual team who can communicate on your behalf. 3-way call service available.
www.chinaONEcall.com

Business.com's What Works for Business Contest: Win up to $10,000 for creative business solutions
 Related Resources from Business.com Back to top 
  CommentsBack to top 

Loading Comments...


Add Your Comments


Email Guide to Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans to a friend
Save the Guide to Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans to My Work.com Favorites
Print the Guide to Doing Business in the U. S. for Non-Americans
link to this page
Save to del.icio.us
digg it!


Is any content on this page inappropriate? To let us know, please click here.

Ads by Google







© 2008 Work.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Work.com is a property of Business.com.
Help | About Us | Site Map | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Community Policy | Community Blog | Advertise on Work.com | Contact Us / Feedback | Work.com Feed