What will I be doing?

Importers and exporters have a vital job in our world's economy--they trade products and services internationally. They profitably move products from the maker to the user. Without them, we would not have many of the things we enjoy each day--from cars to calculators. And, best of all, because of modern communication technology, importers and exporters can work anywhere--including from home.

What will I need to start?

To join the more than 12,000 import agents and nearly 17,000 export agents in the U.S., you must know the import/export business, foreign markets, products and services, business and international trade and money. So, first learn as much as you can about international trade. Fortunately, there are many excellent books on the subject in most larger libraries and book stores. But you'll need more. You'll need contacts in the business community, permits, tariff books and many other resources.

Who will my customers be?

Your customers will be manufacturers and wholesalers in the U.S. and other countries. If you are importing products into the U.S., you will contact manufacturers in other countries, learn about their products, then find markets here for those products. If you export, you'll find U.S. manufacturers and wholesalers who want to expand their sales through international marketing.

The Small Business Administration office in your region (see area telephone books) can help you find out about international trading resources and opportunities. They can even help you with the international banking aspects of this business, as will the U.S. Department of Commerce.