The latest episode of “Talking Trade” is with Susan Meyer, Norwegian honorary consul for Illinois and Wisconsin.

Meyer, who’s also a partner at the law firm UB Greensfelder in Chicago, discusses the ties between Nordic countries and the Midwest and calls for more collaboration between the regions.

Along with the existing Norwegian community in Wisconsin, she points to Swedish and Danish heritage in nearby Illinois.

“We already know each other, so now is the time to leverage those cultural connections to drive strategic growth,” she said. “Wisconsin, for instance, has a lot of manufacturing, skilled labor, logistics, of course as well as being centrally located. While Nordic technology, automation and capital can compliment and support local manufacturing facilities.”

Meyer says Norway and other nearby countries are very interested in exporting physical products to the United States, as well as entertainment and other cultural assets.

The discussion also explores intellectual property considerations for international trade, hurdles around using trademarks elsewhere that were established in a given country, and differences in patent regulations.

“So where industrial designs are protected in the EU, we don’t recognize those in the United States,” she said. “We do have design patents, but they’re not enforced in the same way.”

Meyer highlights her work with the organization Women Entrepreneurs Grow Global, supporting women-owned businesses. She serves as an intellectual property advisor to the group and holds a position on its board.

“The idea is that you bring together industry leaders, business owners, supporting experts … This creates a valuable ecosystem, support, inspiration and expertise, in WEG’s case to help wojmen grow their businesses,” she said. “But the advice I would give to all business owners … is no matter what stage you’re in, activate your network. Ask for help.”

Talking Trade is hosted by E.M Wasylik Associates Managing Director Ken Wasylik and M.E. Dey & Co. President and Managing Director Sandi Siegel.

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” Monex USA Chief Economist John Min says tariffs are driving up prices on imported goods, contributing to inflation.

“If it wasn’t for tariffs, I think we may be close to 2%, which is our goal, but we’re stuck at 3%, so there’s an effect,” he said.

He noted the U.S. Department of the Treasury is currently collecting $30 billion per month, adding U.S. companies are the ones footing the bill.

“Whether they’re passing on the tariffs to the consumers … about 50% of the cost is being passed on, and companies are absorbing with their margin, we just don’t know how long they could last doing that,” he said.

If that’s the case, he expects to see “the full effect” of tariffs hit prices within the next six or seven months.

“I see an almost divided economy, to a certain extent … the bigger retailers are able to absorb it better, because they have the scale, they can negotiate, they can find alternative suppliers,” he said. “It’s the smaller businesses, they’re really getting hurt because cash flow is very thin anyway.”

While he’s optimistic about future U.S. economic growth, Min raised concerns about a “disconnect” between that growth and labor market trends.

“As I describe the microeconomic conditions, I’m very concerned,” he said. “Because we are growing, but we’re not creating jobs. And in fact, I’ve never seen this type of disconnect between growth rate and the employment numbers.”

The discussion also explores potential impacts of AI on productivity and related investment trends, supply chain changes and more on the international trade landscape for 2026.

“Overall, international trade we expect to be, I don’t want to say rosy, but still positive, still growing,” Min said.

Talking Trade is hosted by E.M Wasylik Associates Managing Director Ken Wasylik and M.E. Dey & Co. President and Managing Director Sandi Siegel.

In the latest episode of “Talking Trade,” John Gatto of Transatlantic Strategy Group says “decades-overdue” German defense spending creates new opportunities for U.S. businesses.

Gatto is the founder and managing director of the Milwaukee-based international business and government relations firm, which helps clients navigate the regulatory environments of the United States and Europe.

He discusses how recent developments in U.S. foreign policy have led to changes in Germany, which is putting more funding into defense after President Donald Trump pressured it and other NATO members to contribute more to the military alliance.

“We are putting money behind defense which has historically never been there,” said Gatto, who grew up in Germany. “There was a defense budget, but it was very, very, very small. All of a sudden, within one fell swoop, you have a trillion euros in additional defense spending in Germany alone.”

That’s in addition to about $870 billion in proposed European Union defense spending, he noted. While Germany, France and other NATO countries are ramping up their ability to defend themselves militarily, their economies alone won’t be able to fulfill this rising demand, according to Gatto.

“The funds are there, but the capabilities are not really there,” he said. “And that’s where I identified tremendous opportunity for U.S.-based companies.”

That includes Wisconsin manufacturers such as Oshkosh Defense, smaller suppliers of technical components in the state, as well as bigger companies elsewhere in the country including Lockheed Martin and Boeing.

Gatto says the “political volatility” in Europe and elsewhere is shaping investment and business decisions around the world. He pointed to a shift from “just in time” manufacturing to a “just in case” approach in the post-COVID era, as companies are stocking more supplies and products than they did before the pandemic.

“Many people are now focusing on supply chain resilience, diversifying their supply chain,” he said, adding “the defense industry has historically been a very well-established and settled marketplace, but there’s so much more opportunity for new players now.”

Talking Trade is hosted by E.M Wasylik Associates Managing Director Ken Wasylik and M.E. Dey & Co. President and Managing Director Sandi Siegel.