eTrade Alliance Podcast Series:
Development Through Digitization, Insights from the Field
The eTrade Alliance brings you a series of interviews and discussions with individuals leading its international economic development initiatives. These sessions engage the speakers on their perspectives and insights into what is and isn't working in generating inclusive growth for MSMEs (specifically women-led and rural businesses) through the use of ecommerce and cross-border digital trade.
"Logistics and cross-border sales - MSME capacity building and training for managing exports" - February 2023
Maria Luisa Boyce, Vice President of Global Affairs at UPS
Listen in as we speak with Maria Luisa Boyce about initiatives that UPS has supported to improve MSMEs' ability to manage logistics for cross-border sales in Latin America and across the world. We discuss how the eTrade Alliance and UPS have worked together to assist female entrepreneurs in growing their businesses by building their skills and knowledge in exporting.
"What works in MSME ecommerce capacity-building?" - January 2023
Erica Libertelli, Director of the eCommerce Institute
In this episode, Erica Libertelli from the eCommerce Institute talks with our host about the importance of training and capacity-building in supporting the growth of e-commerce and cross-border trade.
"International Trade and Sustainable Economic Growth" - July 2023
Steven Pope, Group Head of Trade Facilitation at DHL
In this episode, Michael speaks with Steve Pope, Group Head of Trade Facilitation at DHL. They discuss Mr. Pope's journey from public policy into the private sector and DHL's GoTrade Initiative, which aims to train small-medium-sized enterprises in developing and least-developed countries to engage in cross-border trade. Continue listening to learn more!
"eCommerce Day Africa 2023 Insights" - September 2023
Erica Libertelli, Director at the eCommerce Institute
In this episode, today's host, Bonaly Phrasavath, speaks with Erica Libertelli from the eCommerce Institute about the success of the first edition of eCommerce Day Africa, held in Nairobi, Kenya. She also discusses the main impacts and challenges that were faced with putting on such an event and how industry events like these can help promote the e-commerce ecosystem around the world.
"Nurturing E-commerce Ecosystems - case on Mexico" - September 2023
Pierre-Claude Blaise, CEO of AMVO
In this episode, today's host, Shannon Gaffney, speaks with our guest about nurturing the ecosystem for e-commerce through the leadership of a local organization. We know that the formula for e-commerce to truly take off involves many factors. Among them, you need a conducive enabling environment with the right policy and regulatory framework, an empowered business community with access to digital systems and tools and the capacity to use them to their fullest capability, and a robust dialogue between the public and private sectors to plan and make investments in infrastructure, services, and a skilled workforce to support the overall digital economy. Join us as we speak with Pierre-Claude Blaise, CEO of the Mexican Association for Online Sales (known as AMVO), and partner of the eTrade Alliance
"Elevating Entrepreneurs: Stories from Kenya" - October 2023
Veronica Nyakianda, Founder and Creative Designer at Ankole Luxury
In this episode, host Michael Poor speaks with Veronica Nyakianda, Founder and Creative Designer at Ankole Luxury. Veronica shed light on her experience as a small business owner based in Kenya. She offers her perspective on the challenges she's faced while growing her e-commerce business and how she has adapted to them over the years. Tune in to hear her insights and advice to other small businesses in Kenya that want to sell online and across borders!
Empower Fijian MSMEs - December 2023
Craig Kirkland, Director of Pacific Islands at Mastercard
In this episode, Nextrade Group's Research and Analytics Manager, Jem Marasigan, spoke to Mastercard's Director of Pacific Islands, Craig Kirkland, about the partnership between Mastercard, Westpac, and ygap. This partnership showcases the significance of equipping MSMEs with the tools and knowledge to thrive in the digital economy and expand their reach beyond local borders. Mr. Kirkland shares why Mastercard participated in this project, allowing them to support Fijian MSMEs to sell goods online.
Positioning Africa's SMEs for Growth Through Google's Hustle Academy Training Program - March 2024
Bods Babalola, SSA Account Director at Upskill Universe
In this episode, Nextrade's Michael Poor speaks with Bods Babalola from UpSkill Universe, the design and delivery partner for the Google Hustle Academy SME training program in Africa. Through its membership in the eTrade Alliance, Google (via UpSkill) launched an ecommerce focused training curriculum for SMEs in Kenya, seeking to enable them with the requisite capabilities to utilize digital channels for increased market access and revenue growth. Michael talks in detail with Bods about the format of the Hustle Academy program, the desired outcomes, how UpSkill and Google have adapted to challenges in achieving those outcomes, and how they see the program evolving to maximize impact and reach.
Job Skilling Africa's Youth for Today's Digital Economy - March 2024
Chris Otundo, CEO of BrighterMonday Kenya
In this episode, Nextrade's Michael Poor speaks with Chris Otundo, CEO of Africa's top job-matching platform and eTrade Alliance partner, BrighterMonday Kenya. Chris shares details about their eBiz Kwa Vijana project - a training program designed to enable 1,000 young entrepreneurs with the skills needed for jobs and business opportunities in Kenya's growing digital economy - as well as the importance of development support for such programs. The conversation goes beyond the project to discuss the "future of work", and a need to institutionalize a culture of learning to prepare the African workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.