In The Know: For Entrepreneurs on International Trade

It was only after Pernille Fischer Boulter moved to Canada that she realized there is no real word for “please” in the Danish language. For many Canadians, she came across as quite rude. And as some Scandinavians, she was also a direct communicator and spoke quite frankly. It was not until after she had been living in Canada for about a year that someone actually explained the difference in communication styles to her, asking her point blank, “Why do you never say please?” Then Pernille realized just how big a deal it was, culturally speaking—and she was grateful that someone finally told her.

What if you were a well-educated, multi-lingual, widely travelled, and successful businessperson, who fell in love with someone from overseas, got married, and moved to a new country, to find that out your skills and prior achievements were valued differently? That is what happened to Danish immigrant Pernille Fischer Boulter when she arrived in Canada.

Tale from an Immigrant Entrepreneur chronicles Pernille’s inspirational rise, while it clearly outlines what sorts of bumps in the road are likely to emerge, and provides thoughtful and imaginative ideas on how to navigate them. It is a great Canadian success story that gives credit to the mentors who helped along the way.

Pernille Fischer Boulter founded Kisserup International Trade Roots in 1998. She is a Subject Matter Expert on Entrepreneurship and Export development and has worked with small, micro and medium businesses in over 90 countries worldwide.