Our current, shared situation warrants comparisons based not just on fiction, but science fiction. A light-hearted example is the Stargate film and subsequent franchises in which characters utilize a circular portal to instantly transport and interact with different societies located cosmic distances away. The small, round camera at the top of our laptops has served a similar purpose over the last six months.
Though 2020 may be remembered as the year of “Zoom and gloom,” a forced transition to, and acceptance of, virtual conferencing has opened doors — or gates — between people all over the world. Though it existed before, the practice was not standard or frequent enough to be considered primary communication.
Since March, World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah) has virtually hosted diplomats and business leaders from Spain, Israel, India, Mexico, Canada and many other countries and directly connected them with more than 550 businesses located in all parts of the state, both in group settings and one-on-one. In normal times, these types of meetings would have been held in downtown Salt Lake City and even abroad — with participation limited to those able to take the time to travel to these physical locations. An increase in virtual meetings helps to level the playing field.
“One silver lining from 2020 has been our ability to engage a larger audience than ever before — in particular, to give rural Utah companies increased access to international opportunities,” shared WTC Utah Trade Services Manager Jim Porter. “As we more fully adopt online conferencing, we erase the distance between opportunities in the global market and companies around the state.”
International trade and investment are some of the most powerful ways to remedy the economic effects of COVID-19. The United States International Trade Commission reported that in 2009, small and medium-sized businesses that exported had more than twice the total revenue of their nonexporting counterparts. With this focus on international engagement, Utah’s exports nearly doubled from 2009 to 2012. Nearly 1 in 4 Utah jobs are currently tied to international trade and investment, and it is critical Utah companies of all sizes continue to make international business an essential part of their strategy as we experience another round of economic uncertainty.
To assist the 3,500 small and medium-sized Utah businesses that export, WTC Utah and the Governor’s Office of Economic Development (GOED) partner to offer grant funding, market research, matchmaking and more through Global Business Services. Assisting businesses through each phase of the process, the organization offers one-on-one consultations and training events open to the public.
An example of such an event was the recent ‘Protecting your IP Internationally with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)’ webinar on Oct. 28. Five U.S. diplomats who serve as intellectual property (IP) attachés provided insight into mitigating potential risks and resolving international IP issues virtually. The attachés, located all over the world, joined for 90 minutes to speak directly to Utah companies.
“The State of Utah is no stranger to hosting world-class leadership and talent, and the intellectual property experts from the USPTO are the latest example,” shared Franz Kolb, GOED director of International Trade and Diplomacy. The webinar was hosted by WTC Utah and GOED in partnership with the Governor’s Office of Outdoor Recreation.
Perhaps those living through a future pandemic will be fortunate enough to utilize advanced technology to pass the time and increase their connectivity — fingers crossed for a holodeck. For now, it’s important to recognize how a forced integration of technology in our daily communications has benefited businesses across the state, yielding long-term advantages and success.
Julia Breinholt-Pappas is the communications director for World Trade Center Utah. Aaron Starks is the vice president of global business services for World Trade Center Utah.