Am I export-ready?
A practical readiness check before spending real money or adviser time on overseas markets.
## Quick answer You are export-ready when you can name a target market, name (or credibly source) a buyer, price an order on agreed Incoterms, and survive the cashflow of getting paid late. ## Typical situation A UK business has had inbound overseas interest, or believes export could be a growth lever, and is deciding whether to invest meaningful time in pursuing it. ## Advisor interpretation Export-readiness is not a certificate. It is a set of mundane operational facts: - The product is legally exportable (regulations, certifications, labelling) - Pricing works after freight, duty and FX - Someone in the team owns export — not as a side project - Cash can survive 60–120 day payment terms or letters of credit - The domestic business is stable enough to absorb the distraction If any of these are unresolved, an ITA conversation costs nothing and clarifies more than a strategy document. ## Readiness signals - One or two specific target markets chosen on evidence, not gut feel - Named prospects or distributors, not just market reports - Operational owner identified internally - Domestic business not in firefighting mode ## Usually too early when - The product is not yet selling well at home - No internal owner for export - Cash position cannot tolerate delayed payment - "Export" is still an idea rather than a market choice ## Common mistakes - Treating export as a marketing problem rather than an operational one - Picking markets by size rather than fit - Underestimating documentation, compliance and FX - Skipping ITAs and Export Academy on the assumption they are too basic ## What usually comes next If ready: ITA conversation → Export Academy → first overseas sales → UKEF EXIP. If not ready: stabilise the domestic business and revisit. ## Related grants DBT International Trade Advisers, UK Export Academy, UKEF EXIP. ## Related comparisons UK Export Academy vs DBT International Trade Advisers, First-time export funding vs Export finance. ## Related pathways Export Funding Pathway. ## Conservative note Readiness is a judgement, not a test. Use this as a structured conversation, not a checklist to game.