Latin Retail Connection – International Business Development Ambassadors

WHO WE ARE

Latin Retail Connection, Latin Franchise Connection and Retail Ambassadors are your preferred and trusted multi-channel, multi-sector, international business development ambassadors.

At Latin Retail Connection, we are masters at the art of discovering opportunities, starting conversations, building relationships, and closing mutually beneficial deals. We guide renown global brands through the journey of entering new international markets, from beginning to end. We also review existing relationships and operations, and come up with solutions that improve results. Our extensive, global, and high-level network of connections, together with our nuanced market knowledge and proven field experience, enable us to deliver results that exceed our clients’ expectations.

As international commercial ambassadors, our strengths include over two decades of experience understanding the nuances of international, cross border expansion. Our basic business approach begins by identifying companies with the best products, services, and solutions which we match with qualified local partners, through the best channels, and in the most lucrative markets. This entrepreneur style and seemingly simple way of doing business ensures the success of our clients and delivers robust returns on investment.

LEADERSHIP

Franco Calderón is the Founder and Chief Ambassador of the Latin Retail Connection (Laretco), where he leads a team of experienced international business development consultants across multiple business sectors. Franco works closely with government commercial diplomats, trade associations, and other relevant constituencies across the world, to advance the interests of his clients and the countries they represent. Since founding Latin Retail Connection, Franco has led the successful expansion of dozens of renown international brands both within the United States and throughout Latin America. This has translated into hundreds of brick and mortar locations and many millions of dollars in revenues.
A serial entrepreneur, Franco invests in retail, ecommerce, manufacturing, wholesale, distribution, off-price, rapid diagnostics, medical equipment, technology, real estate, and others. His education includes a Masterclass Certificate in Negotiation from Harvard Law School, a Master’s Degree in International Diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy in Massachusetts, a Bachelor of Arts in Latin American Studies with emphasis in Economics and Business in Latin America from the University of Texas at Austin, and a CCIM designation from the CCIM Institute in Chicago. He is world traveler and an active participant in the most recognized international trade forums both as a guest and speaker. Franco is a multi-cultural, multi-lingual hyper networker, fluent in Spanish and English, functional in Portuguese and Italian, and currently studies Mandarin Chinese, and Russian. Calderón is an incessantly curious learner.

MISSION

“Discover great opportunities, Facilitate meaningful conversations, Execute consequential strategies, and Deliver robust returns on investment for our clients worldwide”

CHANNELS

Retail, e-commerce (direct to consumer, direct to business, direct to government), distribution, off-price, public and private tenders, wholesale.

PRODUCT CATEGORIES

Appliances, automotive parts, supplies and tools, baby products, beauty, camera & photo, cell phones & accessories, consumer electronics, grocery & gourmet, health & personal care, home & garden, construction materials & equipment, electronics, fashion, fashion accessories, food & beverage, lab and medical equipment, pharmaceutical products, musical instruments, office products, outdoor products, personal computers, pet supplies, sports related merchandise, tools & home improvement, toys & games, video, dvd, blu-ray, video games, watches manufacturing, off-price merchandise, vitamins & supplements.

CLIENT PROFILES

Private and publicly listed companies, home offices, venture capital, economic development organizations, chambers of commerce, trade associations, governments, multilateral institutions, and individual investors.

SERVICES

Results Oriented Facilitative ConsultingServices:
- Foreign direct investment, greenfield investment, joint ventures, and portfolio investment.
- Brand representation, franchising, licensing, parter-matching, multi-channel distribution agreements.
- Real estate representation
- Manufacturing, offshoring, nearshoring, outsourcing,
General Consulting Services:
- Market intelligence and feasibility studies, partner intelligence
- Proof of concept, minimum viable product
- Contract negotiation, demographic and psychodemographic analysis.
Trade and Brand Ambassadors Missions:
- Discovery trips, trade and investment promotion, special events, trouble shooting.

TYPICAL DUTIES

Client Promotion activities

Develop marketing strategies to promote the interests of the client
Educate prospects about the benefits of doing business with the client
Develop high level relationships with all relevant market constituents at government, industry, and professional level
Provide assistance, advice and other services to the client in the target market

Client Representation Activities

Always protect the interests of the client
Engage with high level market participants to advance the interests of the client
Develop systems that quantify interactions on behalf of client
Organize missions to promote the client’s products and services

Import & Export Activities

Assist the client with technical, legal, and market information related to the import and export of products and services
Qualify potential business prospects
Introduce client to potential business prospects
Advice client on best practices to market their products and services

Where?

At Latin Retail Connection, we work closely with our clients to identify the most lucrative international opportunities. We understand there are no magic success expansion formulas. Each city, country carries its own particularities, level of business development, consumer sophistication, and risk.

An effective international market expansion strategy must be flexible, ready to adapt to each locale, and should include multiple countries, states, formats, and seasoned local professionals. Latin Retail Connection is strongly positioned to help its clients by offering timely and relevant market insight, strategic advice, and a strong network of reliable global connections.

Why Choose Latin Retail Connection?

Benefit from in-depth knowledge, and practical experience in US and Latin America, and other international markets
Maximize international expansion potential by choosing the best markets, locations, and partners
Ensure the correct international expansion model is chosen
Minimize risks and costs arising from entry into international markets
Stay well-informed about macro-political and economic conditions in the international markets of interest.
Rely on strong relationships with all relevant market participants

Is Your Company Ready to Expand Internationally?

Latin Retail Connection can guide and help you understand what it takes to succeed internationally. In over two decades of practice we’ve learned from the successes and failures of some of the world’s best companies. Latin Retail Connection is strongly positioned to facilitate and expedite the internationalization of companies. From discovery trips to full market expansion, our services are tailored to remove the complexity, obscurity, and unpredictability of international expansion.

Ready to sell your products and services in the United States Latin America, and beyond? Please contact us at:

franco@latinretailconnection.com