Business Across Borders… In The US

We’ve already heard from Luis and Melanie, who told us about the professional etiquette in their countries. Today we have Dean, who’ll tell us a bit more about regional differences in America, why the West Coast is more relaxed than everywhere else, and what it is about calling people by their first names that’s so appealing…
Curious yet? Read on to find out more!

1.    What do you do professionally?
At Sachi Studio, I help businesses explore the new Internet goldrush that is taking place. Sachi is a web design and online marketing consultancy. We help businesses with web and blog designs, consulting on blogging best practices, and localized search engine optimization strategies.

2. What does the Chief Web Evangelist of Sachi Studio do exactly?
Good question. The title is more symbolic than anything else. Calling myself a web designer or owner sounded boring. I see myself as a catalyst to get clients excited about each new web project that I take on. I help evangelize the potential that new Internet technology such as blogs, local SEO, and content management systems can bring to their businesses. In essence, I evangelize the new web and its potential.

3. Where do you conduct most of your business?
Everywhere. I have clients that are on the West Coast of the United States to as far away as France. Welcome to the World Wide Wow!

4. You’re from Kensington, Maryland; have you noticed any differences
when it comes to business manners, let’s say in comparison with the West Coast?
Kensington, Maryland is part of the greater Washington DC metropolitan region. I’m only 10 miles outside of downtown Washington, DC. Despite the level of affluence and the opportunities that are present there, I joke that Washingtonians are just too busy to say hello to each other because we work so much. People are perceived as more laid back on the West Coast, which is mostly due to the state of California. Simultaneously, they are perceived as a bit more materialistic and, well, fake, relative to the East Coast. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule, but that has always been the consensus among many Americans.
Let me give a very subtle example of the differences between regions. Here in DC, the most popular question someone will ask you is, “So, what do you do for a living?” After a while, some of us get tired of being asked that question and would prefer not to be sized up. If you travel to a state like Texas (which I absolutely love), people there will not only say hello but talk to you for five minutes. People are just friendlier in the South and Midwest. We could all use a little bit of Texas in us!

5. Americans often have a reputation abroad for ‘risk taking’ and their ‘willingness to take chances’. How are these attributes reflected in American business culture?
That is indeed true. This is due to the high spirit of entrepreneurship that is encouraged by our country’s socioeconomic policy making. It has been often said that entrepreneurs are the backbone of the American Economy. Our dreams and our risk-taking help fuel this. While it’s beyond the scope of this interview, risk is really all about perception. Our country’s infrastructure and policies help mitigate some of the risk, which in turn encourages people to take on more. In our country, it only takes a few weeks to start up a business. In other countries, it can literally take months of paperwork and a lot of money to start up a similar business.  By providing as little barriers to entry as possible, our country is able to encourage and harness this reputation of ‘risk taking’ that we have in the global business world. A very common phrase used in our business culture is “No pain, no gain.” American business people are well aware that to achieve any thing of significance means that we must sacrifice something in return.

6. Meeting business partners at home, being on first name terms – if this happens in Germany it represents a high degree of trust in the other person, a strong bond – almost friendship. Would you say the same about American business partners?
Thanks for pointing this out about German culture. I guess this would explain why all the German members on XING keep addressing me as Mr. Hua rather than Dean  .
American business culture is a bit more casual relative to German culture. In the workplace, it’s quite common to see employees address their manager on a first name basis. It feels strange when someone calls me by my last name. So much so, that I encourage them to call me by my first name.
Our business culture is driven by geographic regions as well. Here in DC, it’s common to see people in a suit and a tie. In Florida, it’s not uncommon to see people wear polo shirts and khakis. This is due to the hot weather down there.

7. What are the most frequent mistakes that foreigners make when in the U.S.?
It depends on which country you are referring to when you say foreigners. If you compare us to an Asian culture, then Asian business people may see Americans as too disrespectful. If you compare us to Spanish culture, then they may see Americans as too uptight. As they say, “It’s all relative.”

8. Are there any specific small talk topics that will be able to save me if all else fails?
In my opinion, if all else fails, it’s most likely BECAUSE OF small talk. I prefer to do “big talk”. Big talk is about stuff that the other person may actually enjoy. It’s about seeking commonality before we get down to business. Topics such as traffic, the weather and other trivial matters really bore me.
For example, I had a new client meeting the other day. I walked into their office and I had briefly mentioned that I was organizing a ski trip for New Year’s Eve. The client and his wife absolutely loved skiing. So much so that he spent the next five minutes teaching me how to actually ski by focusing on the footwork. It was quite fun and enjoyable to watch him be so animated. He did most of the talking. After that, we got straight down to business.
I encourage people to seek commonality or learn of the other person’s interests. If you can do that, then small talk becomes a trivial matter.

9. You should have seen their faces: Which particularly amusing situations from your previous years on the job spring to mind when you hear this phrase?
I’ve learnt that when we talk about time, we’re not always talking about the same thing. This is true from one culture to another, but it can also happen within the same culture. I remember once when I was setting up a business lunch with a business contact of mine—it was a Wednesday when we emailed each other. We agreed to meet for lunch on Friday. Now for me, it was clear: I entered Friday of the following week into my planner, and that’s when I showed up at the restaurant. No one was there. I thought OK, maybe he’s late, and waited. And waited. Still no one. I felt stood up.
As it happens, he was at the restaurant on Friday, too: on the Friday the week BEFORE… So both of us had thought that we were both stood up but it turns out that we were thinking of different Fridays. When we finally met again, we had a good laugh together. We hit it off, despite the difficulties at first. As I said, “it’s all relative.” Even time. 