Stan Coben & Global Link Partners -- Interview by Wayne Messick

I first interviewed Stan Coben in 2000. It was in August and he was watching his grandchildren play in a park while on vacation on Nantucket. Stan was in the process of transitioning his company into the 21st Century -- connecting his clients in North America with resources in Asia. As we were profiling others attempting to do the same thing, I figured his would be an interesting story. I have watched his progress over the years, speaking with him each summer on vacation. His company, Global Link Partners has just launched this new web site, so I interviewed him for a series of articles.

I wanted to start with his organization’s extensive background in the floral industry, and build future articles to describe how you can leverage what you’ve always done in new directions, to take advantage of your current momentum -- leveraging what got you here to where you will need to be to remain successful in the future.

The first question I have is rather basic: Why would I hire Global?

If a manufacturing company is looking to outsource overseas, and they don’t currently have Asian connections, they may find themselves calling trade organizations or government agencies to answer their many questions -- like who will find the right factories?

Who will translate for us? Who will go to China and buy goods for us? Where do you find out this type of information? How do you know you’re getting the best deals? That’s where we come in: we can answer those questions for you, and help you make the connections you need.

We have had great success with clients who are new to the Asian market, such as those who currently manufacture in the U.S. but who want to be more competitive and increase their profit margins. Or, if you are now buying in Asia and you aren’t satisfied with the service you’re getting, we are able to help you find better resources for your needs.

I recently asked a client if he had any other projects he needed to take care of, and he showed me a photograph of a ceramic item and said “Well, can you source this for me?” I took it back to the office, and we started working on it immediately.

By the end of the day we had already emailed the picture to some of our manufacturers. That’s pretty fast service -- it didn’t sit on anyone’s desk for a day or a week or a month. It’s my nature to get on top of things and stay there.

So I definitely think that’s what sets Global apart -- our focus on prompt, personalized service at a level that most places can’t or won’t provide.

What I find with smaller company clients is that my experience with merchandising is so much broader than what is available to them in-house. For example, one customer bought a business selling bathroom accessories. The company was manufacturing in the United States, but they found that the labor costs were too expensive and they had to go overseas. In their case, they already had a factory over there through another connection that could do ceramics. He asked me to quote some items, and with one style we were significantly cheaper than what he was already doing.

Later, he decided he needed to branch out into wood, metal, and leather products, but he knew nothing about these areas, so he turned it over to me because he knew we had contacts who produce it. At the same time, I was able to give him suggestions from a fashion standpoint and to connect him to other people who do design, from the standpoint of merchandising and packaging.

The average person doesn’t have the retail, importing, and merchandising experience. The average agent overseas will just say "What do you want? Gimme a picture and I’ll try to get it for you." But they can’t expand on that, or add any other value.

So it’s really a combination of the sourcing and the mentoring…

The advantage with us is that these things don’t cost extra. In the floral industry, I have over 20 years of experience and contacts. I have a truly extensive knowledge of floral containers and basketry of all kinds.

There’s a need to buy it right, and to understand the merchandising. You’ve got to know what people in this country will buy…

…and then what pricepoint should be. And it’s not just one pricepoint: You’ve got to know what they’ll pay for it at Sam’s Club or at Wal-Mart, and what they’ll pay for it at Bloomingdales. If I had to say I had one skill that not everyone has, it’s the ability to spot an exciting look, product or emerging trend. That comes from a little bit of talent, and from many years of retail experience. There’s a lot to it. It’s the combination of service and knowledge and connections and service and knowing how Asia works.

A small potential customer could be a business owner, an artist with an idea, or an inventor with a product, and they may not have the foggiest notion about any of this stuff…. How much do customs fees cost? How do you ship at a reasonable price?

Let’s say that I’m a floral industry rep…why would I contract with Global?

Here’s a great opportunity for a rep. There was a guy who contacted me who sold plants and flowers to chain stores. He wanted to supplement his income… providing he had large enough customers, he could not only sell the plants for his employer, but he could carry Global’s container line on the side, and go to those chain stores and say “Hey, I’ve got a partner who does this, and if you are interested in having more than flowers, we’d love to be able to quote you on these things and be of service to you."

You are able to add value to their knowledge base and their introductions and their sourcing and products in a line you’re well known.

If they’re knowledgeable about flowers and plants, I can provide the other end of that knowledge with basketry and containers. If they have time only to sell, we have time to buy. It’s a team effort. For someone in that industry, it’s a serious benefit.

So, if we had a mosaic that made a picture, Global is the grout, the conduit, which holds the pieces together. Whatever’s necessary, you’ll do it, and if it’s not necessary, people aren’t paying for it.

Often, my clients aren’t interested in doing this legwork themselves. They don’t have the time, the knowledge, or the desire. Some of my clients don’t have the hours to get their own work done -- they can’t do all this stuff, and it’s cheaper to hire me than to hire a staff.

Each and every relationship is defined individually based on what they want to happen, and you then, like the mortar, fill in…

We will tailor our services to fill all of your individual needs at once. That’s the Global benefit.


About the Author:
Wayne Messick can be reached at http://www.ibizresources.com.
Wayne's company, Family Business Strategies, has accumulated statistical evidence supporting their belief that the introduction of existing technologies into a company is a blueprint for success. He profiles successful family businesses in his newsletter, providing his subscribers an opportunity to learn from the experiences of their peers.