Are You Ready to Export? Featuring EXIM Bank

Wednesday Webinar with SBA Seattle District is an ongoing series of free, virtual, webinars covering a variety of topics to benefit small business owners. On the fourth Wednesday of each month is Are You Ready to Export? featuring conversations with different members of the Washington Export Outreach Team (WEOT). For 2025, the focus will be Partners in Exporting: how WEOT agencies collaboratively work together along with other organizations to support Washington businesses to sell their goods and services internationally

With more than 95% of the world's consumers outside of the United States, opportunities abound for U.S. small businesses to sell internationally. Most export companies have an easier time riding out fluctuations in the U.S. economy and are more likely to stay in business. On average, sales grow faster, more jobs are created, and employees earn more than in non-exporting firms. 85% of U.S. exporters are small or medium-sized companies. This session will bring together federal and local resources to help you, no matter where you fall on the export spectrum, whether you have never considered exporting, are a new exporter, or a seasoned exporter.

The following topics will be covered:

• Local export counseling, education, and networking opportunities
• Market intelligence, business matchmaking, and trade mission for small businesses
• Export credit and export finance solutions

Mitsu Saito | Regional Director, Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM)

Mitsu Saito joined the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) as a Regional Director in 2023. Based in Seattle, he serves the exporting community in the Pacific Northwest and works with businesses in Alaska, Idaho, Montana, Washington, and Wyoming.

Mitsu serves as the first point of contact for businesses looking to access EXIM programs. He is responsible for business development and outreach to partners and exporters within his region to discuss the opportunities in trade finance.

Prior to EXIM, he spent over 15 years in various international trade roles, including maritime transportation, freight forwarding, e-commerce, and wholesale imports.

EXIM Bank

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation’s official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist U.S. businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributes to U.S. economic growth by supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Learn more at www.exim.gov.

Michael Fowler | Executive Director, World Trade Center Tacoma

Michael Fowler is a seasoned professional with extensive experience in international relations, business, and community engagement.

Michael's educational journey began at West Point, followed by a bachelor's degree in Chinese from the University of Hawaii, and a master's in international relations from Sophia University in Tokyo.

With a co-founding role in Tokyo-based JDB Network Co Ltd, Michael gained practical insights into global markets. He is currently the Executive Director of the World Trade Center Tacoma where he assists small and medium-sized enterprises in navigating Asian and world markets.

His multilingual capabilities, including proficiency in Japanese, Chinese, and English, enable Michael to facilitate effective cross-cultural communication.

World Trade Center Tacoma

The mission of the World Trade Center Tacoma is to make the Pacific Northwest (PNW) the best place for international business. The WTC Tacoma is proud to be part of the worldwide network of over 300 World Trade Centers. As one of the most dynamic trade promotion organizations in the Pacific Northwest, the WTC Tacoma helps local businesses succeed in the global market.

Washington Export Outreach Team (WEOT)
Washington Export Outreach Team (WEOT) is a collaborative team of local, state, regional, and federal export assistance agencies who provide you with the tools and resources needed to sell goods and services internationally. WEOT was formed in 2013 in response to a national mandate for Federal Government Agencies to work with local resources to provide a higher level of support for companies conducting business international trade.

About the Host
John Brislin is SBA's International Trade & Finance Specialist (Export Finance Manager) for Washington State, Northern Idaho and Alaska. He has over 23 years of private-sector international banking and trade finance experience working at Bank of Boston (Bank of America) and Bank of California (U.S. Bank). John has over 12 years of public-sector export trade finance and risk mitigation experience working at Export Finance Assistance Center of Washington (EFACW), Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM Bank) and SBA Office of International Trade (SBA OIT). He looks forward to working with Small Businesses so they can turn their export opportunities into actual sales and to achieve the ultimate goal of getting paid—especially on time—for those sales.

Host or Publisher SBA Seattle District Office