| | | | | | | | The Field Guide
SelectGlobal, LLC Newsletter | October 2025 | | | | Welcome!
You are receiving this newsletter because you have either expressed an interest in SelectGlobal, LLC or are already working with SelectGlobal, LLC.
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | Introducing The Field Guide —
Your Monthly Compass for Global Expansion | |
For years, the SelectGlobal newsletter has been a trusted source for insights, updates, and opportunities in international trade and investment. Today, we’re excited to announce its transformation — a fresh look, a new name, and a sharpened focus.
Welcome to The Field Guide — your monthly compass for navigating the evolving world of global business. Just as explorers rely on a field guide to interpret unfamiliar terrain, we’ve designed this newsletter to be your go-to resource for understanding, engaging, and succeeding in foreign markets. Each month, The Field Guide will bring you: - From the Field: Leadership reflections and insights from Michael T. Edgar, SelectGlobal’s CEO & Founder, sharing real-world perspective on global expansion, economic trends, and partnership opportunities.
- Upcoming Events: Curated opportunities to connect, learn, and grow your global network — from high-value trade panels to sector-specific briefings.
- Event Recaps: Visual proof of the work we’re doing together, featuring photos and summaries from SelectGlobal’s latest engagements with partners, communities, and governments.
- Explore More: Direct access to the SelectGlobal Blog and, soon, Atlas — our next big step forward.
The Field Guide isn’t just a newsletter. It’s a living resource — a connection point for leaders, communities, and experts committed to transforming global expansion from a daunting journey into a strategic and achievable path. | | | | | |
Behind the Curtain:
Six months ago, we began rebuilding from the inside out—our website, our newsletter, our internal processes, our community tools, and even how we communicate across cultures using insights from "The Culture Map." Today, I'm pulling back the curtain to share what's next.
If you’ve noticed a new look to this newsletter—you’re right. The refreshed design reflects how far SelectGlobal has come and where we’re headed: more clarity, more collaboration, and more connection.
The response has been energizing. We’re seeing a 35% average monthly open rate—nearly triple the industry standard—and more than 75% engagement over the past 90 days. Our readers aren’t just clicking; they’re leaning in. The SelectGlobal network isn’t just growing—it’s becoming a community of investors, trade partners, and municipal leaders actively shaping strategic, sustainable growth.
Behind the scenes, two internal initiatives are coming to life. Latticework connects vetted experts across strategic industrial sectors and advanced manufacturing in a trust-driven community built for collaboration—not just networking. Platypus equips our team with AI-enhanced research capabilities, allowing us to move faster without sacrificing depth. You’ll see both in action soon.
What’s surprised me most isn’t just the growth—it’s the quality of the conversations we’re having. From Monterrey to Milwaukee, the questions are sharper, the collaborations deeper, and the shared ambition clearer than ever.
Expansion is also on the table. We’re finalizing partnerships that will broaden our reach, and while the details are still taking shape, the direction is clear: SelectGlobal is entering its next chapter.
In the months ahead, you’ll see these tools in action, new partnerships emerge, and opportunities that reflect the collective intelligence of this network. Thank you for being part of what we’re building.
Warmly, Michael Edgar, Founder and CEO, SelectGlobal, LLC
PS: At SelectGlobal, we translate complexity into clear action. Want to understand how we can help you with your goals? Let’s connect—and plan your next move.
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We’re proud to welcome our inaugural Field Guide sponsors:
OutPace Solutions — A veteran-led consultancy empowering government contractors with AI-driven insights. Learn more: outpacesolutions.net.
International Trade Association of Greater Chicago (ITA/GC) — A nonprofit fostering global commerce through practical insights and relationship-building. Learn more: itagc.org. | | | | Webinar:
The FDI shake-up: How foreign direct investment today may shape industry and trade tomorrow
October 21, 2025
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Virtual event, sponsored by the McKinsey Global Institute, will explore the findings of the report, The FDI shake-up: How foreign direct investment today may shape industry and trade tomorrow, featuring a presentation by the report authors and a panel discussion of leading voices. The session will explore: How FDI is molding industries of the future, including semiconductors, batteries, and data centers, and the resources that power them; The outsized role of megadeals and how bigger bets increasingly follow geopolitical lines; How to navigate FDI signals and shifts in a high-stakes environment.
October 21, 2025
10:00 – 11:00 a.m. CDT. No fee; advance registration required. For information ®gistration, please see: https://events.ringcentral.com/events/the-fdi-shake-up-how-foreign-direct-investment-today-may-shape-industry-and-trade-tomorrow/registration?utm_campaign=dotcom&utm_source=dotcom&cid=mgp_opr-eml-alt-mgi-mgp-glb--&hlkid=95142a60d3db4016bd4c79f3b465c4dd&hctky=1420088&hdpid=6fa79e22-682f-47f9-8cf6-097770834d14.
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Panel Discussion & Networking Reception
GOVERNMENT & STRATEGIC RESOURCES FOR INTERNATIONAL SUCCESS
October 29, 2025
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Panel Discussion Networking Reception sponsored by the International Trade Association of Greater Chicago. Panelists include: U.S. Commercial Service Chicago; U.S. Small Business Administration, Office of Manufacturing & Trade; Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM); Illinois Office of Trade & Investment; GloBIS.
This panel brings together senior representatives from federal, state, and strategic partners who will share the scope of their services – and how they work together – to support your international success. Connect directly with the experts who can accelerate your global growth and contribute to your international success.
October 29, 2025 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. (Networking Reception follows), Carlucci Rosemont, 6111 North River Road, Rosemont. ITA/GC Members & their guests - $35; Non-members - $50
For information ®gistration, please see: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/government-strategic-resources-for-international-success-tickets-1766313143159?msockid=210f17c64fa16735181a02c14e4666d9
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Luncheon and Executive Briefing sponsored by the International Trade Association of Greater Chicago with the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce Mid-America Chapter.
Mexico in a World of Trade November 5, 2025 | | | |
Presentation by Dr. Ralph A. Biedermann, Executive Director, United States–Mexico Chamber of Commerce Mid-America Chapter and President of The MRB Group. Dr. Biedermann will place today’s Mexican commercial environment in a historical context, beginning with the Border Industrialization Program in 1965, and discuss the growth and development of the Maquila industry. He will examine Mexico’s role in the North American automotive supply chain, nearshoring, and today’s tariff landscape before offering strategic projections for the USMCA renegotiation discussions in mid-2026
November 5, 2025 11:45 – 2:00 p.m. Carlucci Rosemont, 6111 North River Road, Rosemont. ITA/GC Members & their guests - $35; Non-members - $50
For information ®gistration, please see: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/mexico-in-a-world-of-trade-tickets-1765934400329
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Business Facilities
LiveXchange Fall Forum
November 9-11, 2025
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LiveXchange Fall Forum offers a powerful platform for economic developers to connect directly with corporate decision-makers who are actively exploring expansion or relocation opportunities. Through a series of pre-scheduled, one-on-one meetings, you’ll have the chance to showcase the unique advantages of your location and provide tailored solutions that align with their growth plans. Beyond the meetings, you'll engage with top site consultants and business leaders through curated networking events—building meaningful relationships that drive real economic impact.
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From mid-September through early October, SelectGlobal was in motion—exploring new opportunities in Malaysia, advancing renewable energy projects in India, consulting on workforce housing in Hawaii, and meeting with Spain's new Trade Commissioner in Chicago.
These conversations are already bearing fruit: partnerships are forming in Australia and Dubai, and mentorship exchanges from San Francisco to Lithuania continue to deepen our network's collective expertise.
October opened with our partners celebrating Dussehra and Yom Kippur, continued with the Mid-Autumn Festival, and I capped these celebrations by attending Taiwan's "Double 10" Anniversary Reception, hosted by Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Chicago—reinforcing a core truth: successful global partnerships are built on understanding the full calendar of our collaborators, not just their business hours.
| | Coming January 2026:
Atlas | | | |
Atlas — Mapping the Future of Global Growth As part of our mission to empower visionary leaders, we’re building something new: Atlas. This will be SelectGlobal’s curated repository of country and community dossiers — a living library of intelligence to guide your decisions in foreign direct investment and global expansion. Atlas will bring together: - Deep Dossiers: In-depth profiles of countries, communities, and industries, authored by trusted partners and SelectGlobal experts.
- Actionable Insights: Clear, reliable intelligence you can use to evaluate markets, partnerships, and opportunities.
- Community Connections: A curated network of municipal leaders, trade commissioners, and strategic partners who can help you expand effectively.
Our aspiration for Atlas is to make it the definitive destination for global expansion intelligence — the place where strategy meets insight, and where opportunity is mapped for those ready to grow. | | | |
Your go-to resource for U.S. market expansion | | | |
SelectGlobal’s FDI Blog is your go-to resource for U.S. market expansion. Designed for businesses launching or growing in the U.S., this series delivers actionable guidance on foreign direct investment, helping you overcome barriers and seize opportunities. | | | | | | | | | | | |
Why SelectGlobal? SelectGlobal, LLC is a strategic international development solutions provider specializing in reliable market entry pathways for mid-sized companies ($50-500M revenue). We transform global expansion from complex challenges into systematic growth strategies through our extensive network of business, government, and investor relationships. Working with 65+ international trade representatives, we connect foreign businesses with investment-ready communities, facilitate foreign direct investment opportunities, and provide end-to-end guidance for sustainable international growth that benefits both companies and local economies.
Ready to begin your global expansion journey? Visit selectglobal.net to explore our approach, or schedule a consultation with our team to discuss your vision for international growth. | | | | | | If you were forwarded this newsletter from a friend and would like to formally opt-in to SelectGlobal, LLC, and be part of the process of bringing together businesses, municipalities, and capital to assemble new ventures, projects, and foreign direct investment to help rebuild and redevelop communities, please join us! | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |
