The Canberra Business Podcast
A podcast about all things Canberra Business.
The Canberra Business Podcast
Building Bridges to Global Markets from Canberra
Curious about how Canberra businesses can make waves on the global stage? Join us as we sit down with Mark Faulkner, the new Trade Start Advisor for the ACT Government, who unravels his journey from London to China and the Northern Territory, sharing how these rich experiences shape his approach to guiding local businesses toward international success. Tune in to learn about Trade Start's mission and how this national program provides invaluable, free advice for companies eager to navigate the complexities of international markets.
We're diving into the essential strategies for building solid international trade relationships, especially for service-oriented firms. From understanding market dynamics to overcoming regulatory hurdles, Mark offers insights into the art of networking and the importance of long-term commitment. With a focus on regions like Southeast Asia and the Middle East, we explore how export activities not only drive financial growth but also spur innovation and knowledge within the local economy. Listen as we uncover the synergy between Australian mateship and Asian business models, revealing how these cultural alignments can pave the way for successful global expansions.
Welcome to the Canberra Business Podcast presented by the Canberra Business Chamber in association with the University of Canberra. I'm Greg Harford from the Business Chamber and I'm joined today by Mark Faulkner, who's the new, relatively new Trade Start Advisor for the ACT Government right here in the nation's capital. Mark, welcome to the podcast. Thank you, greg. Now you've been in your role, I think, for just a couple of months as we were recording this. Tell us a little bit about yourself and your background, and why have you come to work here in Canberra with the ACT Government doing Trade Start?
Speaker 2:government doing TradeStart. Okay, yeah, so obviously my name's Mark Faulkner. I have a very many different sort of aspects to my background. I left Australia when I was young, in in my 20s, went over to London, ended up working for Viacom, owned multiple TVA stations around the world. I was very lucky in that that they moved me to many markets, especially in Europe America, japan, china, thailand, malaysia. So I I have a very big understanding of different sort of countries and markets.
Speaker 2:And then I spent 10 years in China doing my own import-export business before moving back here to Australia where I did this role up in the Northern Territory for nearly four years. And what brings me down here? I actually left that role, sorry to go into APAC again with an IT company expanding into those markets, mainly Timor-Leste and Indonesia and Singapore. Then I came back to Australia for some family reasons and this role came up and I sort of thought of the similarities about the Northern Territory and the ACT and I thought it would be a very cool challenge to come down here and see how I could help local companies expand into new markets.
Speaker 1:Fantastic. So you've had a really interesting and varied career, and it must have been really exciting to be living in multiple places around the globe. What was your favourite place to be living and why?
Speaker 2:Look, it's a hard answer Because everywhere to me has good and bad. I lived in some very, very large cities like Tokyo, london, new York, which have good and bad. You've got many people, you've got a lot of industry going on, a lot of opportunities, which is really cool on a business point of view, but it can get a bit stifling with the amount of people. I must admit I'm always an Aussie boy, no matter where I live, and I always still consider Australia home, just again because of the relaxedness of Australia. So it's a hard one to answer. I suppose I'm one of these crazy kids who just adapts and then wherever I am, I find good and bad in wherever I live.
Speaker 1:And are you settling in here in Canberra? Coming from London, Tokyo, New York and Indonesia, Are you enjoying yourself here in the nation's capital?
Speaker 2:Yes, I am. I must admit I'm a bit of a golf tragic, and canberra has some very, very good golf courses. Um, the hardest part I found and I have to be a bit of a wimp, I think, but the weather has been a bit of a struggle. I haven't taken my jumper off since I got here. But other than that, like the ease of getting around, the understanding of where things are and having different sort of centers within Canberra make it very easy and very relaxed sort of lifestyle. Because of those you don't have to travel very far to be able to get what you need to be able to live.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and it is indeed a fantastic place to live. So tell us, mark, a little bit more about trade start. What's the mission of trade start? How does it aim to support act businesses and expanding their presence internationally?
Speaker 2:so trade start is a national program that's pretty much partnered in with the local sort of state government or territory government. In some jurisdictions it is the Chamber of Commerce that it actually sits amongst. Excuse me, but the mission of TradeStart is to be that advisory, to be able to take whatever the company is trying to achieve in another jurisdiction and give them every bit of information we possibly can to make the right decisions about one, markets, two, whether their product would work in those markets and the legal framework of how to do that. Now I must put a little caveat on this. We help not just products, we help services, IT services, consulting every sort of gamut of exporting.
Speaker 1:And that's really important for Canberra businesses to know, given that there are so many services business here in the capital.
Speaker 2:Oh, 100%, and this is why I thought I'd sort of double down on that. And some people don't even know they're an exporter, so I call them accidental exporters. So they might have a client, say in New York, but they don't sort of class themselves as an export because they're doing all the work here. But the simple transaction means that they are an exporter and I'm here to be able to help them expand on that idea. And you know, the beautiful part of having the ACT government and Austrade is I'm allowed to pull in on both of those resources to help and the. You know, again, I'm not allowed to say I'm free, it's without charge, so everything I give our company is without charge. And we make sure that company is without charge and we make sure that all bits of information are delivered to that company for that company to be able to understand better what they're trying to achieve so you literally are from the government and here to help, exactly, yeah, so, um, it's really interesting.
Speaker 1:You've done this role, uh, previously, or a very similar role up in the northern territory. What do you think are the big differences between the exporting markets from northern territory versus the act?
Speaker 2:so we had a little conversation before this and there are a lot of similarities. Um, probably the biggest difference is the northernory does have a lot more resources, so agricultural, mineral sort of side of things, and also gas. So there's a lot of exports, big exports out of the Northern Territory. The ACT just doesn't compete in that area. But in saying that there's probably more similarities, there is a lot of tech companies up in the Northern Territory that people were very surprised about and I do sort of see something, a lot of the similarities in here that people don't necessarily know what people were doing here. That is going overseas as well, especially in the tech, the consultancy. But oh, there is products here as well. I've had a couple of conversations with companies in cosmetics as well as agricultural and you know those similarities especially, you know, in my time in Northern Territory helps me advise those companies a lot better because I've got that knowledge already and I can understand where they're coming from and what they're trying to achieve.
Speaker 1:And which companies is it that you're trying to help? Is it all companies that are looking to export, or is there kind of a subset that you're focused on?
Speaker 2:So part of the reason why TradeStart exists is we're not I don't sit there and say, oh, I can't deal with you.
Speaker 2:It's more, I'll help everyone along their journey in exporting and that can be right at the start of a start-up who have an idea of wanting into the future to go, so I can then set them on a path through planning and understanding of what they'll need to achieve to be able to be ready.
Speaker 2:So we call them getting them export readiness. The second set might be a novice. As, as I said, use the example of an accidental exporter, so they can then expand on what that accident of getting a client in another market. Then I can help them understand that market and maybe gain them two or three or even ten new clients into that sort of area and help them with legal how to set up a company, what sort of market entries would work for them. Then you've got the third set who are experienced exporters and they might have some difficulty within market to be able to either expand or there might be some legal sort of parameter that they need some more understanding around, and that's where I can add in a lot of advice and be able to help them expand into the, the market that they're already part of so which industries or sectors here in the act do you see as having the most potential for international exports?
Speaker 2:Like again, we're probably focused in on the high-end tech side of things. But in my role and this is the cool part of my role at no point do I sort of section off anybody of my role. At no point do I sort of section off anybody. Like I have to listen to what's in the market and help that market.
Speaker 2:But my role is to help anybody and in potential, because australian products all around the world plus services are considered very high end and we're considered very high-end and we're considered very well-educated, there's not really a market that sort of pushes back against us. We can help and expand into any market through a product or a service. So it's actually quite you know good on my behalf that I have these knowledge people anyway, and I'm just there as a guide or advice and so I never have to sort of block anybody at any stage of their growth or what their product is. All I can do is, you know, help them with culture. All I can do is, you know, help them with culture, help them understand taste, to which market they feel that they want to go, so that you know it helps me define my role for them.
Speaker 1:So you mentioned culture just now. I mean, and that obviously is really important, because you've got products and services coming out of Canberra or the ACT region that might be perfect culturally for one market or not at all, but also there are cultural differences when dealing with businesses in different places as well. How important is it, do you think, that businesses understand those cultural nuances and get that right, and what are probably the biggest areas of weakness in that cultural understanding that you see?
Speaker 2:look in through my own travels and my own living and working in all these cultures there. It's not really always the big things that people get wrong, it's the little thing in a cultural sort of exchange. So an example would be in Japan If you're a minute late, you've already lost the deal. Now, if you're a minute early, that's good, but what they want is on time.
Speaker 1:This is a challenge for many of us here at Canberra.
Speaker 2:Exactly. But that little understanding I can help them with and make them still do their product, still do their service in a professional manner. But it's that little nuance of the cultural side of things. But then you change and say you go to Thailand, thailand don't talk about business until they get to know, you.
Speaker 2:Their side of things is relationship. They want to know you're a good person before they even talk about your product or service and they don't mind you being late. They don't mind you even swapping a meeting time. But you've got to be prepared for that. So it's those little nuances that either I personally have come across, but also I can then tap into the Austrade side of things and get even more in-depth business sort of cultural thing do's and don'ts. Probably the biggest differences. For Australian companies going to a new market is just because it works in Australia does not necessarily mean it will work in your target market. So that's also part of my role is to define that market for them. But also sometimes it might be saying really this isn't the market for you. Have you looked at these other ones?
Speaker 1:It's a really good point that not everything that works here in Australia works in other markets. Do you think that's true of other English-speaking countries as well? We've got New Zealand not far away, but obviously we've got businesses here exporting to the US and off to the UK as well. We've got New Zealand not far away, but obviously we've got businesses here exporting to the US and off to the UK as well. Are there differences in those markets? Do you think that mean that Aussie practices don't always play right as well?
Speaker 2:Yeah, look, let's take America for an example. Everyone thinks America is one market. Now, under law and under tax, it's actually 50 markets. But also then, culturally, yes, we speak the same language, but there's a saying of a New York minute. Now that's true. In the fact of, all they care is about the contract. What they want is the deal done, and if you don't understand that, you've got to be very prepared for them to be quite forceful about it. But also understand they're trying to get the contract. So if you go in with the same mentality, you'll be able to then negotiate on your behalf. Now they talk about win-win, but a lot of american companies about win-lose. So understanding that again does help you. And it does change in different states. They all think in a little slightly different. Say, from Alabama across to California can be a different sort of attitude, even though they speak the same language. We come from a very similar cultural background. You've got to be aware of it.
Speaker 1:So what are the common challenges do you think that ACT businesses are facing when they're looking at international trade, and how can you help them navigate those?
Speaker 2:So part of the role like I take on is understanding where the company is at in their journey. So a lot of the similarities is again as you pointed out. You know, just because it works here doesn't work somewhere else. Now that question is universal. Now I always ask first question I ask a company do you have the people within your company to take advantage of another market? Because if you don't have somebody who can devote their time, you start robbing from Peter to pay Paul. Now that person could be from the market you're trying to go into and they understand a lot of the cultural sort of side of things. The other question I always ask and it is about me building the trust to get an answer of this one is the financial situation of the company.
Speaker 2:Now, especially with services, it does take time to be able to get into a market because they have to understand one, what you're offering. Two, do they like you, do they want to do business with you? And three, is it part of their, their expansion to be able to, you know, take advantage of your software or consultancy or even product? So within that you've got to have time. Some markets can take up to a year before you even get a contract. Some markets can be very quick In understanding that you've got to be able to give time. If you haven't got the money and the time and the people, you're going to struggle because it is difficult, because you've got to spend time in the market.
Speaker 1:So how do you and the TradeStart team, I guess collaborate with other government agencies, industry groups and businesses to get those trade opportunities enhanced?
Speaker 2:So you know, prime example is me sitting here with you, greg, and talking to your members about what TradeStart does. So we work together to make sure that we're value adding towards any of the memberships. But also I'm sort of a conduit for a lot of companies into the ACT government. Into the ACT government because I sit within the Office of International Engagement and we have priority markets, priority sort of services towards exporters, which I am one of them. But also I deal with DFAT if that is needed in the market, because Austrade tried to be in as many markets as possible but that's not always the case.
Speaker 2:So we'll have a trade person from DFAT acting the same way and I'm that conduit for the company to that government organisation. On an agricultural sort of point of view, I'll deal with DAF and I understand the licensing this side to be able to export. Also the Department of Defence, who look after space and quantum. I again are a conduit to understanding their regulations around what export sort of protocols they have, because they might say on a defense point of view we can't allow that company to export to that market. They might say you can go to these markets. So it's my job to make sure that I understand that, so I can advise properly within.
Speaker 1:Is that too much of a restriction? I mean, obviously there's security reasons you don't want tech going to places where it might be ill-used but how much of an impact does that have on the day-to-day operations of those businesses that are looking to export?
Speaker 2:Look it can be that are looking to export. Look it can be. Probably at this point the biggest one companies in the quantum area are facing is it is new tech. A lot of countries around the world are fighting over who has the best tech in quantum, so the governments want to control it a little bit more, which can be restricting. The argument on our point of view is we understand those restrictions and we can work within that to be able to get an export sort of conclusion for the company. Where it gets, probably the gray area is when it's dual use, so it can be just commercial business to business use, but also it has a defense application.
Speaker 2:That's probably the hardest restricted part because you have to really argue that the business-to-business part can't be changed into a defence product that say, your client then uses towards defence in another place. But once you understand how that all sort of those parameters there is work-through, those parameters there is work throughs, there is. And you know, with, let's say, the five eyes, they're huge markets anyway. Look, if you're dealing within the five eyes you probably haven't got capacity for anyone else, anybody anyway. So you know, and that's where I really help companies understand, I work closely with otis, which is office of industry, office of defense, industry services. Sorry if I got that wrong, but again, we're there to put the client as the center of what we do. So we really have to understand what the client does. But then how does the government restrictions restrict that sort of product or service? But how do we get around those to be able to get a sale?
Speaker 1:Yeah, and ultimately it's all about finding the right opportunity for your product right at the end of the day, 100%. You touched Mark a little bit earlier on the importance of relationships when you're getting into other markets. How important do you think networking events and workshops are for businesses looking to expand internationally? Trade shows, I guess.
Speaker 2:Yeah, to me networking is the number one priority of any CEO, any operating officer, anyone in the company who wants to look at even the Australian market, let alone exporting. Now, on an export point of view, a vast majority of the countries that surround Australia, so Southeast Asia, north Asia, india, across even into the Middle East. Relationships is number one. If you don't know how to build a network in Australia, you will struggle in those kind of countries because relationships number one. What you asked me before about the, you know the place I like to live, australia.
Speaker 2:In a way we we actually fit into the Asian model of we like each other, then we do business.
Speaker 2:It's even in Australia where it's very rare to I oh, I don't like him, I'll still do business with him. Most of us will go down that track of we need to like our supplier or customer. So our mateship actually acclates very well into the idea of networking, building on, you know, on that social network but also a business-to-business network, and it actually keeps us in good stead when you're talking about export. So I would suggest to anyone in business get out to your networking thing because it might be just an introduction to somebody who's in a market that you want to get into and they've got a little bit of advice that saved you a lot of money. Or you know, they might say oh, I really like your product. Can we go together to a market? And it's amazing how many companies actually join together, then expand together and without that networking you would never have met them how many companies actually join together, then expand together, and without that networking you would never have met them.
Speaker 1:It's an interesting point that mateship is actually really the core of international engagement. But what other steps do you think businesses should be taking to prepare themselves for looking at international markets?
Speaker 2:So again, I'll go back to those three points. Now, looking at a market, how do you define who that right person is? So again, they don't necessarily have to be from that market, but they have to have the time to be able to explore markets and be able to understand how just even tweaking sort of your advertising or your you know understanding of what that market needs to be able to be successful. Now, just because the slogan of what you do here works it, it might not translate into another language. So having that person who can really look into it and understand that market that they're going to, to me is paramount because that gives you enough within the company to be able to then make very good decisions. The second is really the money. So money gives you time. Now I'm not talking millions and millions of dollars, even though that would help. It's more about enough to be able to say, well, we don't need a contract or return on our investment within a week. It can take three to six months and you've set aside enough money to allow that person to have that time to explore the market. Now we go back onto the relationship, the networking. You've got to go back into those markets multiple times to build up that network but also the relationship. So you've got to have that time and money.
Speaker 2:Third, make sure that your product or service fits that market. So again, don't get wrapped up in one sort of market Like I, after 10 years in China, I've seen multiple companies get a little blinded by what I call blinded by the numbers. So 1.4 billion people in China. Everyone says I only want 1%. Now, 1%, you couldn't service that, even in Australia, if you don't have the right people in the right. Again, understand the market they're going to like. I lived in a city called shenzhen which is 22 million people now. That's nearly the size of the whole of australia and that's one city. Now if you can't supply australia, how are you even going to supply a country the size of 11.4 billion? It's more about understanding your market and where you can fit. So I sort of tell people let's aim for a city and it might not be what they call a tier one city. Tier two cities are still 10 million people with a lot of money. If you can get 0.5% of that city, you will be making money.
Speaker 1:So it's that understanding yeah so being really clear about your goals too comes in there, and I think that's really good advice. Resource up and understand the market, have the budget and time to invest in that market and make sure that your product or service is fitting the market. You talk a little bit about being in market. How important is a physical presence? Do you think? Is it really important for you to get out and do business development work on the ground in the market you're targeting?
Speaker 2:Look I personally and this is only a personal sort of opinion I think it's paramount because, like we talked about America before, americans do like dealing with Americans.
Speaker 2:Now, if you don't have a presence in America, automatically you're classed as a foreign company.
Speaker 2:A lot of them will balk at dealing with a foreign company just on the grounds you're foreign. Unfortunately, americans aren't really good at understanding where you're from and where you fit into the world, even though we speak the same language, we do the same things in business. But if you're not there they'll go to your competitor who is there and that's just a cultural thing, same within southeast asia, that relationship, if they can't come and see your office, to them you're not real, they, they like I'm sure you know the people listening to this have been to other markets and they've walked in and the office is grandiose and they've got marble everywhere and really nice tea sort of ceremony tables and that's all to show that they're real. They've got the money to be able to do business. If you're not in that market and can sort of get them to come see you at your office, you will struggle. I'm not saying it's impossible, but you've got to be able to show that you're committed to that market.
Speaker 1:So it's about credibility as well as relationships. A hundred percent. So, looking ahead, mark, just to wrap this up, what are your long-term goals for TradeStart here in the ACT and what's the impact you're trying to make on the economy here in the capital?
Speaker 2:So I'll start with probably the end bit there, with the economy. The economy always is better off if you've got exports. Now it's not just money coming in, it's also knowledge coming in. It's also you're expanding on worker base here within the ACT, which always helps them grow and grow and grow. The more companies we can get doing that, the better people start looking at Canberra as one a place to do business, to, a place that knowledge and people want to come and work in. So my aim and this is why I did it the other way around is to be able to expand on what has been done before, and TradeStart's been here for quite a little while. My role is to expand on what that is and hopefully, hopefully, get enough exporters that start perpetuating themselves. So the more that I get people interested in export, the more people start talking about export, the more companies take advantage of what I can deliver and that actually then perpetuates the old snowball sort of situation and then that helps the economy and then a reverse around.
Speaker 1:And ultimately that's the great benefit of international exports. Right is that you've got money from offshore coming back into the economy locally.
Speaker 2:So's a it's a big win for for canberra if we can get that right a hundred percent and that's really my aim at tradestar level is if I can sit back, and not that I want to do myself out of a job, but it's more. If that starts snowballing, my job does become pure just advisory and sort of going right out. Instead of having, you know, the novice, we've probably got more experienced exporters that start that networking sort of side of things that starts the economy rocking and rolling. And I sit back and you know I'm only a small cog in that and I'm just here to help. You know it's my. Actually, the fun of what I do is literally seeing a company get an outcome in another market. I just feel wonderful, but the knock-on effect is just huge Mark.
Speaker 1:is it just you working here in the ACT on behalf of exporters, or are you part of a bigger team?
Speaker 2:So from the ACT government sort of point of view, I do sit within the Office of International Engagement where we have Richard Watson who is the trade management. We have Richard Watson who is the trade management, then you have below that you have Hashi and Nicola and myself. Now I'm the trade starter. Nicola actually sits in the Singapore office of Austrade that is fully engaged only for the ACT companies wanting to go.
Speaker 1:The ACT has got resource up in Singapore and ready to help. Yes and again.
Speaker 2:Nicola comes from a similar background to myself. She's actually considered a locally engaged staff but she sits in the High Commission in Singapore, 100% paid by the ACT government to help only ACT companies wanting to explore not only Singapore but Malaysia, indonesia, thailand, and we work together to be able to help 100% the ACT companies who want to go to those markets.
Speaker 1:That's great to hear. It's got to be good news for businesses here in the ACT that are looking to go to those markets. That's great to hear. It's got to be good news for businesses here in the ACT that are looking to export to Southeast Asia.
Speaker 2:Oh, and I think it's a resource that companies really should take advantage of, because it is a service that is offered without charge and, again, we work very closely together and I do believe Nicola will be here early December or late November I'll get the date and maybe we can do a little sort of get together so companies know her personally but also what services she can do in market for them.
Speaker 1:Fantastic and we'll cut that there Absolutely, and certainly here at the Canberra Business Chamber, we're keen to be working with you over the next little while to help build those exports. In fact, we've got quite a big range of resources available on our website at canberrabusinesscom to help those exporters, which are in fact, produced by our International Business Engagement Programme with the support of the ACT Government. Mark Faulkner, the new Trade Start Advisor for the ACT Government within the Office of International Engagement, thank you so much for joining us here on the Canberra Business Podcast. It's been great to hear a little bit about your background and what you're hoping to bring to the role. And, mark, if people want to get in touch with you, how do they do that?
Speaker 2:So, look, I'm contactable through email and phone number and, speaking of networking any of the networking I'll be out there and if you just want to have a little conversation, a coffee, you want to show me what you want to do, please get in contact. You can look me up on Austrade website and the ACT website.
Speaker 1:And even the Canberra Business website. There you go, mark. Thank you so much. It's been really great having you here on the podcast. I really appreciate it. This podcast, of course, has been produced by the Canberra Business Chamber in association with both the ACT Government's International Business Engagement Programme and the University of Canberra. Uc produces some of Australia's most employable graduates, and any business can benefit from fresh ideas and perspectives by using student interns. So if you do want to know more about that, and perhaps even in your office, mark, you can email careers at canberraeduau to learn more. Mark, thank you again for joining us. Been great having you, and don't forget to follow us on your favourite podcast platform for the next edition of the Canberra Business Podcast. Thank you.