Texas Czech Heritage Month By Sharon Schweitzer In 1999, the Texas legislature declared October as officially Texas Czech Heritage month. Since then Czech food, festivals, culture, education, and entertainment have continued to expand throughout the state, while also strengthening the ties between the two regions. That the Czech language is still spoken in Texas is [...]
National Coffee Day By Sharon Schweitzer and Polina Anastassieva Second only to oil, coffee is the most valuable legally traded commodity in the world. We love it, we rely on it, and we drink it in massive quantities. It is estimated that 2.25 billion cups of coffee are consumed each day worldwide. New Yorkers are [...]
Global Company Culture Day By Sharon Schweitzer Every September 18th, Global Company Culture Day is observed to emphasize the significance of fostering a positive and productive work environment. This day, established by the Global Company Culture Association in 2019, encourages businesses and leaders to prioritize the values, attitudes, and behaviors that shape their organization’s culture. [...]
Remember that international negotiations are a marathon, not a sprint.
Photo by fauxels from Pexels by Sharon Schweitzer, Culture & Etiquette Coach As more folks are headed to work mixers, neighborhood cookouts, and soccer games with the kiddos, we are receiving questions about making conversation. What are the best ways to introduce yourself and others in a social or work gathering? How [...]
Prague castle in the Czech Republic, Hlavní město Praha, CzechiaImage by Julius Silver from Pexels As a frequent business traveler, I seek opportunities to bring thoughtful gifts from Austin when I travel to Central and Eastern Europe. My business counterparts enjoy original Texas products including AustinNuts, Lammes Candies Longhorns, and Texas Map linens. So, how do I [...]
A blue and white Texas porcelain tray is nestled beautifully among other cherished gifts on the office coffee table of Madam Nie Meisheng. She is the former Chairwoman of the Chinese Real Estate Chamber of Commerce in Beijing, China. When I gifted this eye-catching, artfully scalloped ‘made-in-Texas, USA’ tray, I intended it to be a special item [...]
Image by Biljana Jovanovic from Pixabay A new Shutterfly poll, conducted by Ipsos, has revealed that two in five U.S. Americans plan to send out holiday cards or give personalized gifts to connect this 2021 holiday season, a significant increase of nearly 24% from 2020. So, during this pandemic holiday season, individuals, families, and [...]
Image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay When looking to expand abroad or partner with a multinational firm, even the most successful business professionals get blindsided by unexpected cross-cultural differences. The reality is that certain business practices- including regulation, contract mediation, and decision making- vary widely according to the cultures in negotiation. Before you [...]
Photo by Jason Villanueva from Pexels We owe a debt of gratitude to an animal herder named Kaldi for the discovery of coffee in the Kaffa region in Ethiopia. According to the story, he observed that his goats were rejuvenated after eating the red beans from the coffee plants on the plateau over [...]
