GOING GLOBAL

WORLD TRADE CENTER UTAH GREW 180 COMPANIES LAST YEAR THROUGH ITS NETWORKS, SERVICES, AND PROGRAMS. THEY CAN GROW YOURS TOO.

BY: WORLD TRADE CENTER UTAH

From the day it was founded, the World Trade Center Utah (WTC Utah) has had a clear mission: to help Utah businesses grow into markets worldwide. Today, the strategy for making that a reality has evolved.

“We started as a three-person team working in a small corner of the Salt Lake Chamber,” says Lew Cramer, the first president and CEO of the organization, which was founded in 2006. “The incredible growth of the WTC Utah and Utah’s international profile since those early days is nothing short of extraordinary.”

Helping steer the organization is a worldclass board consisting of executives from some of Utah’s biggest international brands, including Natalie Kaddas, CEO of Kaddas Enterprises, and Derrick Porter, co-founder and CEO of Beauty Industry Group. Under that leadership, the organization has honed a laser-like focus on accelerating growth for Utah companies through its global networks, programs, and services.

“Utah has the potential to become the crossroads of the world,” says WTC Utah Board Chair Jon Huntsman, a three-time U.S. ambassador. “Business leaders in our state realize it, markets across the globe recognize the benefits of doing business with Utah companies, and WTC Utah is the catalyst to make the connection.”

Notably, 85% of Utah’s exporters are small businesses that compete and win around the world by connecting with the 95% of the world’s consumers who live outside of the U.S. WTC Utah works hand-in-hand with partners across the state, including the U.S. Commercial Service and Small Business Administration (SBA), to provide an intuitive approach to select markets, overcome barriers, and connect with buyers, partners, and investors around the world.

“Utah companies are able to focus on the opportunities of global expansion while WTC Utah and its partners work to mitigate the risks,” shared David Carlebach, managing director of international programs for WTC Utah, regarding the organization’s work in organizing international trade shows and trade missions for the state.

To help connect Utah companies with international opportunities, WTC Utah administers the SBA State Trade Expansion Promotion (STEP) Grant. STEP is funded in part through a grant with the SBA and has provided hundreds of Utah small businesses with financial support and business services to compete and win in global markets.

“Proof of concept is valuable,” says Natalie Gochnour, WTC Utah co-chair. “CEOs recognize the potential for growing their business internationally and when you can show them concrete examples of how it has worked for others, they are eager to give it a try.”

In 2023, WTC Utah will organize 12 trade-focused trips, taking delegations to international markets such as Mexico, France, Germany, and Dubai. Many of these trade trips are in partnership with the state and include two trade missions led by Governor Spencer J. Cox.

Gochnour, following a governor-led trade mission to Israel, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates in September 2022, also shared that, “WTC Utah, which handles the planning and logistics for Utah’s trade missions, has upped the ante on Utah’s tagline. They say their job is to, 'make Utah the crossroads of the world, one business at a time.' It’s an ambitious statement, but I’m hearing it more and more and beginning to think it has staying power."

"Every small business with an export-ready product should connect with WTC Utah for our advice, our grants, and our trade show and trade mission programming,” says Carlebach.

Visit WTCUtah.com to learn more about World Trade Center Utah, and let us partner with your team to achieve your global objectives.