As a result of our A2IM Trade Mission to Korea last September, A2IM received a request from the U.S. Commerce International Trade Commission to comment on the effects of the U.S. / Korea Free Trade Agreement. A2IM used this opportunity to comment on other areas affecting our community as well. The full filing is here.
Asia
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Release date: Immediate
Contact: Kelly J. LoTempio
kelly.lotempio@sba.gov
SBA STEP Grant Helps Independent Musician Increase Exports
A2IM Member Fatboy Records finds Success in Trade Mission
BUFFALO, NY – The U.S. Small Business Administration’s State Trade and Export Promotion(STEP) Grant 
program has enabled Buffalo-based company, Fatboy Records, owned and operated by Jon Topper and Fatboy Productions , to access to vital opportunities in Seoul, South Korea, Shanghai and Hong Kong.
The STEP program, authorized under the Small Business Jobs Act of 2010, is a 3-year pilot trade and export initiative that makes matching-fund grants for states to assist eligible small businesses, like Fatboy records, to enter or expand their presence in the international marketplace.
In New York State, Empire State Development received STEP grant funding and started “Go East to Export New York, US!” (GEENYUS!), a program to help businesses across the state expand into Chinese and other Far East markets.
The American Association of Independent Music (A2IM), of which Fatboy Records are members of, partnered with NYS Empire State Development and was the recipient of STEP grant funding. STEP grant funds allowed independent musician members of A2IM to attend the China-US Trade Mission from September 5-13 of this year with the mission of aiming to increase exports by A2IM music businesses.
“The trade mission was amazing,” said Topper. “The mission was a perfect match and I learned a great deal about the Asian music market, especially the Chinese music industry and its interests.”
The overseas initiative gave Topper the opportunity to network and identify buyers with the ability to distribute music, both physically and digitally over mobile devices, through licensing agreements with additional merchandising opportunities for expansion into film, television, advertising, and more.
Today, the companies work with E1 Entertainment who was also represented on the trade mission trip to distribute the Fatboy Records catalog world-wide. Additionally, they participate in the production of three music festivals, two of which are a three-day camping and music festival and one is a skiing and music festival. Fatboy Productions also works on setting up all the needs of the band Moe to include both domestic and international tours.
Jon Topper encourages other small businesses to utilize the STEP program. “Thanks to the SBA’s STEP promotion program, Fatboy Productions was able to participate in this trade mission, have one-on-one business meetings and meet with over 40 potential new business partner companies.”
“Strengthening the nation’s economy through substantial increases in U.S. exports is a top priority for the SBA,” said Franklin Sciortino, SBA Buffalo district director. “This is a unique partnership between SBA and Empire State Development where sharing resources allows small and medium sized businesses increase exports and succeed in the global market.”
Information about the STEP grant program can be obtained from the Empire State Development’s International Division.
Small business owners interested in exporting their products and services are encouraged to work with SBA resource partners like the Small Business Development Centers, Women’s Business Centers and SCORE, as well as the U.S. Export Assistance Centers that are available to assist small businesses that are interested in exporting. Small business owners looking for additional information on exporting should visit www.export.gov and www.SBA.gov/oit. Additional information on USEACs.
As previously reported, A2IM’s Trade Mission to Asia from September 5 – 13, 2012 was a great success. Read the article published today (Oct 1, 2012) in Billboard Magazine’s Backbeat, by Rob Schwartz, which highlights the Shanghai portion of the trip.
After a great stop in Seoul, The A2IM/Recording Academy Asia Trade Mission funded by NY State, Tennessee and the U.S. Small Business Administration and supported by U.S. Commerce ITA rolled on through its second leg last week before heading home. In Shanghai we visited the new China Music Industry Park and the future site of a new second China Music Industry Park being built and over the course of presentations, One-on-One business meetings and networking receptions met over 40 potential new business partner companies, some of whom came in from Beijing, Taiwan and other locations for our event. Our thanks to Jean Hsiao Wernheim, Bill Zhang and all at a-peer Shanghai Synergy in Shanghai and Mr. Wang Ju and all at CAVA for being such great hosts. We then moved on to Hong Kong where we were hosted by the folks from Branded Asia, who we know from Music Matters and other events, who were also great hosts as we met 30-40 other potential business partner companies. We thank Jasper Donat, Natalie Stewart, Tony Ward and all at Branded Asia for their hospitality. The future business for our members will roll in over the coming year(s) but for now pictures from our trip are the best way of telling the story….
Hong Kong Peak – photo by Cathy Bauer (Daptone Records)
See All Of The Pictures HERE.
The A2IM/Recording Academy Asia Trade Mission kicked off in high gear last week. The first stop was Seoul, Korea. In Seoul the presentations went great, the entire Korean music industry came out for the One-on-One business meetings with the A2IM delegates. The dinner reception at the US Ambassador to Korea’s house Sung Kim was, in the words of Rich Bengloff, “a home run”. Ambassador Kim was a gracious host.
US Ambassador to Korea Sung Kim
A2IM’s member 335 Records, from Tennessee, is on the mission and their artist Larry Carlton (4 time Grammy winner) who happened to be in Korea, was a big hit with the Ambassador. The Ambassador later went to see Larry Carlton perform at the Blue Spot nightclub. The New York Times’ article, about the Trade Mission, was picked up in the International Herald Tribune. The Korean English press were eager to report on the Trade Mission, Delegates were interviewed by the primary English speaking TV station, the English radio station and met with the Korea Herald print in Seoul for a feature story.
A big “Thank You!” to Catherine Spillman and U.S. Commerce ITA and Bernie Cho at DFSB Kollective for hosting in Korea and to Jean Hsiao Werthheim, Bill Zhang and all at a-peer Shanghai Synergy in Shanghai for being such great hosts! Next stop for the delegates….Shanghai, China.
See all of the pictures (which is being updated DAILY) HERE.
Read Ruby’s Blog HERE. The Recording Academy Trustee Ruby Marchand is among the delegates participating in A2IM’s Trade Mission. Her blog is documenting her experiences as the mission travels from Seoul to Hong Kong in an effort to increase exports by A2IM’s small- and medium-sized music businesses based in New York and Tennessee.
Labels including: ATO, Entertainment One, Eleven Seven Music, Fatboy and a dozen others traveled from September 5, 2012 – September 13, 2012 as part of A2IM’s Asia Trade Mission 2012. Read more as reported in the New York Times.
Delegates (full list below pictures) shared their pictures and thoughts with us as they traveled and can be seen below.
Read Ruby’s Blog HERE! Recording Academy Trustee Ruby Marchand is among the delegates participating in A2IM’s Trade Mission. Her blog is documenting her experiences as the mission travels from Seoul to Hong Kong in an effort to increase exports by A2IM’s small- and medium-sized music businesses based in New York and Tennessee.
Delegates traveling for this first of what we hope to be many trips include:
335 Records (Robert Williams)
A2IM (Richard Bengloff)
ATO Records (Stephanie Alexa)
Blue Horizon Records (Seymour Stein)
Brassland (Alec Bemis)
CMJ (Robert Singerman)
Daptone Records (Cathy Bauer)
Eleven Seven Music Group (Sam Alpert)
Entertainment One (Charles Book)
Fatboy Records (Jon Topper)
Lollipop Records (Jurgen Kordeletsch)
PRA Records (Pat Rains)
The Recording Academy (Ruby Marchand)
Ultra Music (Adriana Sein)
VP Records (Randy Chin)
ZOHO Music (Joachim Becker)
