Review – Going Global 2013 Special Report

For those who are already convinced that internationalization is a good idea, the first chapter is pretty much review for you. It’s likely that you’ve already established your reasons for wanting to diversify. If such is the case, then skimming this chapter should be enough to grasp the thought process and continue on into the meat of the report.

For those new or still in the process of investigating the why’s of internationalization, you might want to pick through this more carefully. It’s likely that nothing is ground-breaking for you, but there are some very helpful pieces of data, as well as some invaluable philosophical nuggets to be mined. There’s a sense in which it’s trying to persuade you, and it might be a bit on the sensational side. But it’s certainly relevant, and I didn’t see anything that was misleading.

A bit of a side note here – This is one of the reasons I really appreciate Casey Research. They have an angle, focused on an anarcho-capitalist perspective. As far as the ideology goes, I think I’m almost in perfect agreement. And, while they do get a little sensational from time to time, I don’t personally see them as being irresponsibly so. It’s not a dramatic portrayal that’s misleading, like so many internationalization material. It can be a bit bombastic at times. But still, it strikes me as being honestly so – accurate, but with a bit of flare. And we do have to allow some room for creative writing and emotional expression. But, overall, I appreciate what they have to say because they make me think. This, in and of itself, is invaluable, if done responsibly.

I’ll add one more comment regarding the introduction. It ends with a brief overview of each of the following chapters (p. 6). This turns out to be very helpful in directing the reader to areas where they may need the most help – certainly more helpful than a simple table of contents.

Experience Correlates with Value

This report offers a great deal of educational content. However, the value of the piece is very much correlated with how much you already know. It is not written to those experienced at internationalization already. Most who are already doing it could likely answer most of the questions addressed in this report. The information would be elementary for them.

There is some real value though. Specific offshore stocks, markets and currencies are listed, with some discussed. The value of this will depend upon the individual. But anyone who’s established themselves internationally might find reasonable value in these lists.

Chapter 13, on Resources, is an excellent reference guide for considering all the options presented in this report. The names of organizations are cataloged and provided for the reader to quickly find a category and different options available. Many of these options include a brief synopsis, so the reader can get a quick overview of each one before spending valuable time investigating further.

The other possible exception is simply being updated on some onerous tax laws. FBAR, FATCA, FinCEN and other regulations have really muddied the waters for expatriates. This is another section (Chapter 12, p. 89) that might have enough information to make it a worthwhile purchase for even the most experienced at internationalization.

One piece of data that needs to be verified is on page 85, where it states that investor residency in Cyprus requires 300,000 euros. I may be mistaken, but it seems I read that this number was increased dramatically in recent weeks. Please do your own research on this.

For those who’ve been checking it out for a while, but not taken any steps yet, the value increases. The introductory and “thought process” information that serve to set up the more actionable information are likely already part of your mindset. But you still need to research actionable information in order to understand your options better.

The information will be helpful for sharpening your thought process better anyway. But you’ll find yourself skimming quite a bit, unless you simply like to be reaffirmed in your convictions regarding internationalization. There is certainly some value to that. Therefore, this group will find the report of some real value, and perhaps serve as a good reference source. Whether or not the price is worth it for you depends largely on your personal pocket.

Then there are the noobs. This report is perfect. It helps with the whole ball of wax. Obviously a report this short can’t contain the amount of specifics needed for any individual to make all their internationalization decisions. But it clearly sets up the context for each chapter, then offers a thought process that helps the reader to not only do certain things, but to grow in their understanding so that they become better thinkers.

This is one of the best values of this report. It forces the reader to think things through and draw conclusions. It’s one thing to simply relay data. But when one can provide data in such a manner that the reader is drawn to conclusions that they can own for themselves, changing and enhancing the way that they think, then the writer has truly provided an excellent gift for the reader.

Finally, for me this stuff is just fun. I could read these sorts of things all day. But that’s not how everyone is wired. We’re all different. With this in mind, the reader has to judge for himself what the value of a report like this really is. It’s obviously taken a lot of hard work to produce it. The question you have to ask yourself is whether that information represents the $99 investment.

If you’re just curious, I don’t know that this is the best option for you. There are lots of sites and locations where you can learn details without reading this report. And if the data and information on specific contacts isn’t going to be useful to you, you might consider doing further research on your own for a while. Of course, if money’s no object for you, then buy away. You’ll likely be glad you did.

My general recommendation is to simply buy it. The fact is, the most valuable sections may very well be worth the entire cost. Quick references to resources and services for internationalization can be invaluable. And, even if you don’t use these, the education you’ll receive from reading up on the opportunities is nothing to be taken lightly.

Whether you are on the path to internationalization or not, the information contained in this report should be carefully considered. We have not internationalized at this point. It’s not a matter of desire so much as practicality and ability. But we’re pursuing it, with a venture planned in late summer. You can bet I’ll be looking over this more carefully as the date approaches.

Kind regards,
Another Joe

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