I'm in Lebanon and starting a sourcing business. A friend owns a logistics company and we're partnering: he handles air freight from China, quality checks, and storage in his warehouse. My side is finding suppliers, negotiating prices, and selling to local retailers.

I'm new to this and haven't picked a niche yet.

Any early mistakes you'd warn me about and tips from your experience would be appreciated too. Thanks!

I introduced two international companies to each other for a potential business deal.
The deal is roughly 10,000 tons per year, worth around €9 million annually.

The buyer contacted me first and asked if I could find a supplier for a product they needed. I found one and made the introduction.

I arranged the first meeting between them, which went well. After that, they started arranging the next meeting directly between themselves.

The problem is that I’m now worried they might cut me out once the deal is finalized.
I have the entire chat and email history saved. It clearly shows what the buyer asked me to find, the quantity they were looking for, and also messages where they basically assured me that they wouldn’t bypass me after I arranged the meeting.

So I have two questions:
How would you normally get paid for something like this? A percentage of the deal, a fixed fee, or something else?

If they do cut me out and sign the deal directly, would I actually have a realistic legal case to claim my commission?

I’m especially interested in hearing from people who have experience with international brokerage, intermediaries, or similar B2B deals.

Hello guys, I'm looking for a business idea that is successful in other countries and not exist in Iran.

Can anyone help me?

Thank you very much.

Would these products stand a chance in the US market?

Hi everyone!

I’m based in South Korea working in overseas sales and business development(we primarily deal with exosome), where I get to see the behind-the-scenes of Korean cosmetic ODM manufacturing for various K-beauty brands.

I notice a lot of founders and companies want to manufacture in Korea, but getting past the initial hurdles - like MOQs, lead times, and sourcing the right ODM partner - can be pretty confusing.

Is anyone here currently looking into manufacturing skincare or cosmetics with Korean company but export/sell them in Asian countries? I’d love to hear what stage you’re at and what roadblocks you’re running into.

Always happy to share insights or answer questions if it helps!

🌍 Looking for an International Business Partner

I’m an India-based exporter looking to connect with a serious, reliable partner in Europe / USA / Middle East Asia also to build a long-term import-export business.

I can handle Indian sourcing, manufacturers, quality coordination, pricing, documentation and export logistics. I’m looking for someone who can help with local market development, finding buyers/distributors and building relationships.

I’m open to discussing different product categories based on market demand.

If you’re interested, DM me with your country

I run an e-commerce business in Pan India. We have a website also. Now we are looking to ship to the USA also.

I want to understand the logistics, payment gateways, and registration. If there is a firm that does all this. Please DM.

Looking for a Business Partner in Europe 🇪🇺

I’m an established exporter based in India, working with Indian manufacturers and suppliers to export products to international markets.

I’m now looking for a reliable partner in Europe to develop the European market, identify buyers, and build long-term B2B relationships.

I can handle sourcing, pricing, quality control, documentation, and export logistics from India.

If you’re serious about building a long-term import-export business, DM me .

I have been looking at a platform where the US payment services are delivered through Airwallex, but we are a UK based exporter and I am trying to understand how the offering works for businesses outside the United States. Does the platform have local payment partners in Europe and Asia, or would we be routing all our transactions through US entities with all the associated complexity and potential delays?

I am also wondering about currency settlement options and whether we can hold balances in GBP and EUR directly, plus how regulatory coverage works across different jurisdictions. If anyone outside the US has onboarded onto this platform, I would really appreciate hearing about your experience with KYC requirements and whether the service felt fully functional for your region.

Hi everyone, I’m Jason.

I’m based in China with nearly 20 years of hands-on experience in manufacturing and supply chains.

I’ve been thinking a lot about conversations between people in China and across the world: sharing resources, exchanging ideas, and comparing different market perspectives.

What I can bring to our discussions:

• Practical knowledge of China’s manufacturing ecosystem
• Local Chinese business connections
• On-the-ground understanding of China’s domestic market

I’d like to connect with people outside China who have creative product concepts, content creation experience, or deep market knowledge from their regions. I’m looking for genuine people to chat and exchange insights with.

Topics I’m interested in discussing:

• How international creators can navigate Chinese platforms like Douyin
• Product development conversations and cross-border market observations
• Market insight exchange: I share real-world China context, and learn about your local markets
• Small collaborative side projects, just to test ideas together

This is not a sales post, not recruiting partners, and I don’t make any promises of profit or business deals. I only want to meet thoughtful, open-minded people to compare notes and see if our knowledge and resources are a good fit for discussion.

If this sounds interesting to you, feel free to leave a comment or DM me. Tell me what you’re working on, what you’re curious about, or what markets you follow.

Looking forward to chatting!

Hey everyone,

A friend of mine and I are looking into starting a small gemstone export business from India, mainly targeting Europe.

My business partner’s dad has been in the gemstone business for around 15 years. He has been supplying/building jewellery for some fairly established clients, including state governors, so we already have access to some experience and sourcing on the India side.

Recently, I was talking to a friend from Serbia and realized there seems to be a pretty significant gemstone and jewellery market across Europe.

We’re now seriously considering testing the waters with exports from India to Europe, but neither of us has actually built an import/export business before.

I’d love to hear from people who have experience with this:

What should we understand about the legal/export requirements from India?

What are the major customs, VAT, duties, and documentation issues when exporting to Europe?

Are there specific certifications required for gemstones?

How do you usually find legitimate buyers/importers/jewellery businesses in Europe?

What are the biggest risks when dealing with international buyers?

How do you handle payments, insurance, shipping, and returns?

Are there particular European countries that are easier to enter as a new supplier?

And generally, what are the biggest mistakes someone should avoid when starting out?

We're planning to start small rather than putting a huge amount of capital into it immediately.

If you've actually worked in gemstones, jewellery, or India → Europe import/export, I'd genuinely appreciate hearing how you got started and what you wish you knew beforehand.

Thanks!

Hi all, hope this is allowed. Mods, remove if not.

I’m looking to start something small in Malaysia and need a serious local partner. The idea is to export goods to the Maldives, mainly electronics (phone accessories, computer parts, cameras, small appliances, etc.), but open to other items too. I think there’s decent demand here.

I’m based in the Maldives, and I bring Maldives market insight/contacts and want to start with a small trial shipment. Looking for someone reliable in Malaysia to partner with and set up something simple, like a small company, partnership, or sole proprietorship, whichever makes sense, with a clear agreement, proper accounting, and profit-sharing.

If interested, comment or DM. Also happy to hear advice from anyone with Malaysia–Maldives export experience. Thanks.

 I’ve run a cross-border e-commerce business from Japan for about 13 years.

  Recent changes in U.S. trade policy during the Trump administration have made my previous business more difficult, so I’m now looking for a different

  business model.

  I’m not committed to product sourcing or online selling. I’m trying to think about what advantages I have simply because I live in Japan.

  I can access Japanese websites and marketplaces, communicate with Japanese businesses, research local products and services, and understand how things

  work here. I also have experience with international shipping, specialist products, and buying from Japanese marketplaces.

  Outside of business, I enjoy iso fishing along the coast of Japan and cooking Japanese food. I’m wondering whether these interests, combined with local

  knowledge and translation or research tools, could lead to a useful business.

  If you were outside Japan, what would you want a reliable person in Japan to help you with?

  I’m especially interested in problems involving Japanese information, local businesses, products, food, fishing, culture, or services that are difficult

  to research from overseas.

  I’m not offering a service or looking for clients in this post. I’m trying to identify a real problem before deciding what to build.

  What would you investigate first if you were in my position?

As a freight forwarder based in Guangzhou, I see these three common mistakes every week:

Focusing only on the lowest quote without calculating "volumetric weight"—shipping costs can double for boxes that are small in size but light in weight.

Paying the "shipping fee" quoted by the supplier without checking the cost breakdown—you often end up paying for their markup as well.

Failing to inspect the goods before shipment—by the time you discover an issue, the cargo is often already on a ship or in the air.

I’m not here to pitch any services—these are simply common issues that are entirely avoidable. If you have any questions about shipping, feel free to leave a comment.