Export Year 07: It’s all about Attitude

MEDIA RELEASE
Export Year 07

30 March 2007

Export Year 07: It’s all about Attitude

When it comes to successfully exporting, attitude is everything according to Export Year 07 Business Champion Ken Stevens.

Mr Stevens will be presenting his award-winning ideas on exporting and operating globally at this weekend’s William Davidson 125 conference celebrating New Zealand’s meat industry.

“This year is the year of the exporter! It’s time to celebrate our successes and encourage more businesses to enter the global market place. It’s time to discuss what we’re doing and how we’re doing internationally and how we can improve New Zealand’s economy through global trade,” says Mr Stevens.

“Above all, we need to change attitudes toward exporting. Much of what we hear in the media about exporting is focused on the challenges to operating globally – our isolation, bureaucracy and red tape, and difficulties in breaking into markets. Export Year 07 provides the opportunity to counter these perceptions by sharing knowledge and presenting solutions,” he says.

According to Mr Stevens, the key to successful exporting lies in what he calls “the three As” – Aspiration, Attitude, and Awareness.

Mr Stevens says successful exporters aspire to achieve their goal; have the right attitude; and are aware of what they need to do to get there.

He developed the “3As” from his export experiences heading Glidepath, the award-winning manufacturer and installer of baggage handling systems that he founded in 1972.

Glidepath started with one contract with Air New Zealand, extending its check-in conveyor to allow a new ticketing position to be installed.

The company went on to win an international tender in 1975 to develop a baggage handling system for the new international terminal at Auckland. Glidepath is now one of the world’s leading makers and installers of baggage handling systems and has factories and offices throughout Australia, China, the United Emirates, the USA and South America.

“I was aware of a niche market, aspired to grow my business and demonstrated an entrepreneurial attitude – the 3As. The same is true for many successful New Zealand exporters – particularly in the meat industry,” says Mr Stevens.

“William Davidson exported New Zealand’s first shipment of lamb overseas 125 years ago. Now the sector is a leading contributor to the New Zealand economy exporting $5 billion of meat each year. The William Davidson 125 conference is a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success of our meat sector, and more importantly, to identify and discuss the challenges facing the industry.”

Mr Stevens’ says his experience adding value to Glidpath’s core product of baggage handling systems and turning it into a global company had a lot of direct relevance for the meat industry, which had similar aims.

“We’re entering an exciting new global era where future success will likely be based on radical rethinking of the traditional business model. The challenge is to embrace the change,” he says.

Mr Stevens will open the William Davidson 125 conference on Friday and will be presenting to the conference on Saturday 31 March at 11.50am.

ends

© Scoop Media