AeroSat (http://aerosat.com/) and Dartware LLC (http://dartware.com/) were two companies that participated in Trade Winds Europe.  Amanda Berthelette, AeroSat’s Export and Marketing Administrator, and John Sutton, Dartware’s Director of Sales and Partner Development, kindly gave the following interview about their experiences at Trade Winds and working with the International Trade Resource Center (ITRC), which comprises staff from the New Hampshire Office of International Commerce and the US Commercial Service’s Export Assistance Center.

Please describe your company’s products and services.
Amanda Berthelette: AeroSat designs and manufactures satellite communications antennas; these antennas enable the flow of information via live television and the Internet to people while traveling.

John Sutton: Dartware is a software development company that makes network mapping and monitoring software that alerts technical staff about existing or potential problems with a network.  The software is sold electronically and the company has been in business for 12 years. 

Have you been on a trade mission before?  Why did you go on this trade mission?
AB: AeroSat has participated in several trade missions in the past and has found them to be very productive.  We look at trade missions as a great way to meet potential business partners, build brand recognition and gain international exposure.

JS: This is the first trade mission for Dartware.  We made a conscious decision to utilize a trade mission as a vehicle for strategic business development.  Dartware is seeking quality international partners and to find these partners, it is essential to travel overseas and have personal meetings with potential partners, as this shows seriousness on our part.  Therefore, we viewed the trade mission as an integral part of our business strategy.  The trade mission also had the added benefit of “Gold Key” appointments in any chosen country.  Dartware took advantage of this to visit potential resellers in another country following the conclusion of Trade Winds in Turkey.

Why do you think Turkey is a good market for your company?
AB: We already have a client base in the US, and also have been successful in the Middle East selling through a systems integrator.  Our goals include creating a presence in Europe and northern Africa; we view Turkey as a strategic market, a link between Europe and the Middle East.

JS: Turkey is a good market because the timing was perfect for introducing our product there.  In talking with the US Commercial Service Specialist, I found out that the state of network monitoring in Turkey is not as developed as in other countries, which makes Turkey a prime market for our product.

What were your objectives in Turkey?
AB: Our goals were to meet with Turkish airlines and to learn about potential business opportunities in the European markets.  Trade Winds was an excellent venue for these goals, since we had the opportunity to do both.  Meetings with several Senior Commercial Officers (SCOs) were very useful in helping us determine whether or not there is market potential for AeroSat’s products in numerous countries throughout Europe. 

JS: Our main objective was to find a reseller partner and we absolutely met that objective.  I also wanted to gain insight into the status of various markets in relation to Dartware’s product offering in order to prioritize which markets to pursue.  Being able to speak with the SCOs of various countries was extremely helpful.  Being able to talk with other companies on this trade mission and to hear about their experiences was beneficial as well.  But, above all, I had very good business meetings.  I met with five potential partners and ended up with a reseller partner in Turkey.  So, from a business standpoint, I achieved my objectives in Turkey.

How did you find working with the ITRC and US Commercial Service?
AB: I always enjoy working with the ITRC.  I find everyone in the Portsmouth, NH office to be very responsive whenever we have questions.  Additionally, they were very involved in helping our company prepare for Trade Winds by assisting with our Gold Key questionnaire, preparing us for conference calls, and providing suggestions for which markets to consider and SCO appointments to request.  The staff at ITRC (which includes the NH Office of International Commerce and the US Commercial Service) have been great advocates for our company.  I also found the SCOs at Trade Winds to be very helpful and forthcoming with information.  AeroSat is a high-technology company and the SCOs gave us honest appraisals of our market potential.  In many cases, it was helpful to learn that certain countries simply did not have the infrastructure to embrace our technology, therefore saving time, effort, and resources.

JS: It is always a pleasure working with the ITRC.  The professionalism and dedication of the staff are second to none.  In preparing for this trade mission, the ITRC staff set up conference calls for Dartware with US Commercial Service specialists overseas.  The conference calls were very positive and I was able to ask questions to ascertain market potential for our product.  As I also had plans to travel to another country in addition to Turkey, I relied on feedback from these commercial specialists when making the decision regarding which markets to pursue.  The ITRC staff provided a lot of support and assistance to help facilitate this process.

How did you find the business climate in Turkey?
AB: Turkey’s economy is growing and there is a very pro-business climate in Turkey.  The Turkish counterparts we met with were very interested in working with US companies and made us feel very welcome. 

JS: I was very impressed with the people that I met with in Turkey; everyone was very professional and expressed great interest in doing business with us.

Did the trade mission meet your expectations?  Would you be returning to Turkey?
AB: Our expectations were met in that we were able to obtain first-hand market information that will be useful in future business development.  I don’t see an immediate need to return to Turkey at this time, but we will maintain communication with the contacts that we made in Turkey and will hopefully be able to pursue business opportunities there in the future.

JS: Yes, it absolutely met my expectations.  I had very good Gold Key appointments and I will definitely be returning to Turkey.  I’m planning to do a presentation to key customers in Istanbul, as well as to have a press meeting to make an official announcement formalizing the alliance between Dartware and our new Turkish partner.

The ITRC is grateful to Amanda Berthelette and John Sutton for taking the time to share with us their experiences at Trade Winds.  Thank you, Amanda and John, and best wishes for your future travels!