International Women’s Economic Summit

1. International Women’s Economic Summit Economic Development/Jobs June 21, 2010

2. Economic Development/Jobs: Panel Monica Luechtefeld (Moderator), EVP E-Commerce, Office Depot Glynis Long, Export Strategist, Small Business Advocate Mariam Nawabi, President and CEO, AMDi Inc. Television Anchor, America Abroad Media John Nkuranga, Republic of Rwanda, former Director of Protocol

3. Monica LuechtefeldEVP E-Commerce, Office Depot • Office Depot’s Executive Vice President of Global E-Commerce. Responsible for driving innovation and customer driven features across our global websites • Office Depot has over 50 websites in 20 countries in 16 different languages. Sales currently over $4.1 Billion • With Office Depot for 17 years. Held numerous positions throughout the organization from Vice President, Marketing and Sales Administration to Senior Vice President, E-Commerce to Executive Vice President, IT & Business Development, and Executive Vice President, IT & Supply Chain. • Committed to lending my expertise to the office supply industry as well the community in which I live and work. Serves on the Department of Homeland Security’s Private Sector Senior Advisory Committee, a Board Member for The Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women (IEEW.org). A member of Florida International University’s College of Business Advisory Board, a Board member of the Boca Chamber of Commerce and a Trustee of Mount St. Mary’s College. • Passionate about the success of small business and, most especially, women business owners and entrepreneurs.

4. About Office Depot • Office Depot employs 41,000 people • Headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida US • Global provider of nationally branded and private brand office supplies, technology products, furniture and services by means of a dedicated sales force, catalogs and call centers, and electronically through Internet sites. • Total Sales in 2009 were $12.1 Billion USD • Operations in 50 Countries around the World • Retail Superstores • Contract sales to Large Corporations • Direct Sales (Online and Catalog) to small business

5. About Office Depot E-Commerce • No one sells more Office Products in more countries over • the Internet than Office Depot • Global E-Commerce Annual Sales are $4.1 Billion USD • We operate 9 Websites in the US and over 50 • International Websites in 30 Countries in over 20 languages Austria Denmark Hungary Luxembourg So Korea Belgium El Salvador India Mexico Spain Canada Finland Ireland Netherlands Sweden China France Israel Norway Switzerland Costa Rica Germany Italy Poland United Kingdom Czech Republic Guatemala Japan Slovakia Kuwait & Dubai

6. Office Depot and Small Business • Small Business is the engine that drives the economy – wherever you are located • Small Business represents over 80% of Office Depot’s revenue • The success of Small Business is critically important for our growth • We are committed to supporting the development of Small Businesses across the globe

7. Lessons Learned from our Customers Mountain of paperwork • A small business owner may be the CEO, but is also responsible for sales, marketing, bookkeeping, HR, advertising, client relations, and procurement. Because they often do it all, they report spending up to 40% of their time on employer-related paperwork. Where the heart is • 53% of the nation's businesses are now operated from home, which gives many people, especially parents, a better balance between career and family. • Home businesses, typically less expensive to start up, manage, run, grow, and expand. Women on the move • Entrepreneurial women in the US own 6.5 million businesses that generate $959.6 billion in revenues and employ 7.2 million workers. Some of them are driven to start a business to break the glass ceiling and others wish to gain more ownership of their work schedule.

8. Small Businesses in the US What is a small business? • It has been defined as an independent business having fewer than 500 employees • Office Depot defines it much smaller – less than 100 employees How important are small businesses to the U.S. economy? • Represent 99.7% of all employer firms • Employ half of all private sector employees • Pay 44% of total U.S. private sector payroll • Have generated 64% of net new jobs over the past 15 years • 52% home-based businesses How many small businesses are there? • In 2008, there were 29.6 million small businesses in the US • Only 18,000 large businesses What is survival rate for new firms? • 7 out of 10 new firms last at least 2 years • 51% survive 5 years or more Source: The Office of Advocacy

9. Small Businesses in Europe • Often referred to as the backbone of the European economy • European Commission policy is concentrated in five priority areas • Promotion of entrepreneurship and skills • Improvement of SMEs’ access to markets • Cutting red tape • Improvement of SMEs’ growth potential • Strengthening dialogue and consultation with SME stakeholders • Special SME envoy has been set up in th European Commission Directorate-General Enterprise with the objective of better integrating the SME dimension into EU policies • SMEs are defined as: • Micro enterprises: less than 10 persons employed • Small enterprises: 10-49 persons employed • Medium-sized enterprises: 50-249 persons employed • SMEs • represents 99.8% of EU-27 enterprises in the non-financial business economy • Employ two thirds of the workforce (67.4%) • Generate 57.7% of total value (varies by sector)

10. Glynis Long Export Strategist, Small Business Advocate • Working with the World Bank, International Finance Corporation and for the US Small Business Administration, Glynis assists US SMEs export.  • Previously, Glynis led the Asia Sector for International Trade at SBA (www.sba.gov/international) and developed the Online Women’s Business website in multiple languages. • She was formerly with the Securities & Exchange Commission (www.sec.gov). • At the Organization of American States (OAS), she is Treasurer and Board Member of the NGO “Young Americas Business Trust” (www.ybiz.net ). • Glynis is an international SME speaker for women, internet and innovative business issues in Washington, DC, Istanbul, Turkey and Seoul, S. Korea. • Glynis is a member of the DC Rotary Club (www.dcrotary.org ) and the national Leadership America, which supports women’s issues. As a Founder, she is developing a global network of international breast cancer centers for under-served women.

11. Glynis Long • Non-profits and government agencies create energy that encourages the growth of women’s small businesses. • How does the SBA support small business? • Created non-profit organizations supporting small business through training, counseling, networking and match-making. These training centers and the SBA district and regional offices help small business find finances to start or grow their businesses. • 112 Women’s Business Centers • 1,100 Small Business Development Centers • 600 SCORE chapters • How does Rotary International support small business? • Rotary was known for their success with Polio eradication, now they are helping emerging countries with water purification, maternal/child health AND economic development. • Rotary has members that are current or retired business people that help small businesses in their own communities. They have inspired many women business owners.

12. Mariam Nawabi President and CEO, AMDi Inc. Television Anchor, America Abroad Media Attorney who works on economic development, media and rule of law projects in Afghanistan and the Middle East. Television Anchor for America Abroad Media for PUL show, which broadcasts from the US to Afghanistan Co-Founder of Artizan Sarai, a portal that helps artisans to market their goods. Founder of the Afghanistan Advocacy Group, which has submitted testimony and policy memos to Congress. Served as Senior Advisor to the Afghan-American Chamber of Commerce and Commercial and Trade Counsel to the Embassy of Afghanistan Provided recommendations on the equality clause of the new Constitution of Afghanistan through the UN. Has spoken at numerous conferences, seminars and fundraising events and on tv and radio regarding Afghanistan, rule of law, media and other topics.

13. Mariam Nawabi Experiences and lessons learned in starting and running a small business When hiring, structure is very important Organizational charts are critical Marketing Brand/logo Business Cards, Website, Letterhead Business associations and events The importance of a business plan in growing your business Vision/goals Costing Marketing plan

14. Mariam Nawabi Relationship building Organizations and companies Government agencies Foreign donors Mentors Identifying 1-2 mentors Approaching mentors Asking for help when you need it

15. John NkurangaFormer Director of Protocol, Republic of Rwanda Self-motivated mid-career entrepreneur oriented and policy maker. A professional, detail oriented and energetic individual, looking forward to contribute to the progress and development of my country. MBA – Finance student at Oklahoma Christian University scheduled to graduate on August 14th 2010. Served as a Director of Protocol, Office of the President of the Republic of Rwanda. (2004 – August 2009) Served as Assistant to the Minister in the Office of the President of the Republic of Rwanda(2003 – Feb 2004) Served as Head of Logistics and Supplies, Office of the President of the Republic of Rwanda (2001 – 2003).

16. John Nkuranga How your current academic work will inform what you plan to do when you return to Rwanda - need to have skills, character & networking - definite financial goals - drawing on experiences - innovation is today’s hot commodity

17. John Nkuranga • Knowledge gained in US on access to capital and job creation will benefit Rwanda - viable business proposals - partnerships - bearing risk/No pain No gain - Creating business through corporations

18. Challenges and barriers women face in access to capital - lack of skills required for viable business projects - insufficient research - low level of network in the business world - Culture and Social Barriers In Rwanda, the support platform is in place but more emphasis needs to be placed on educating women as to what is available to them. - High level political support, transformational leadership and a champion for the cause of women’s economic & social empowerment. - Good will is not enough – bold laws guaranteeing equal access to & ownership of property, land and inheritance. John Nkuranga

19. John Nkuranga Rwandan Woman in Basket weaving activities

20. Q & A

21. Appendix

22. Q & A – Glynis • How difficult is it to engage volunteers with government and civil society to help in economic development? • How do you know if the community is successful in helping its women business owners? • How can Rwandan and Afghan women help the women in their home countries?

23. Q & A - Mariam As someone working in media, what advice would you give to business owners regarding how media can help or hurt their business? As an attorney, what would you identify as the major legal issues business owners should be prepared to face?

24. Q & A - John How are culture and social barriers that discourage women and girls from being entrepreneurs be addressed? 2. Is having skills to write viable business proposals that can be funded by banks enough for Rwandan & Afghan women in creating and sustaining jobs?