How would you go about selecting a manager for a new location in Mexico? For instance, would you hire someone locally or send someone from one of your existing stores to live down in Mexico? What would be the advantages and disadvantages of both options? Afew years ago, Jack Carter took along vacation and Questions travelled to Mexico, his first long vacation since open-ing his business. What he found surprised him: He spent time in Mexico City and wassurprised at the lack of cleaning stores, particularly considering the amount of air pollution. Travelling north, he passedthrough Juarez, Mexico, and was similarly surprised by the scarcity of cleaning stores. As he drove back through Texas,toward home, he began to think about whether an opportunity existed for Carters Cleaning Centres. Jack wasseriously thinking about the possibility of expanding his chain of stores into Mexico.

Aside from the possible financial gains, heliked what he saw in Mexico. Expanding his business into a new environment also appealed to him. I guess entre-preneurship is in myblood, is the way he put it.

As he drove home to have dinner with Jennifer, he began to formulate the questions he would have to ask before deciding whether to expand abroad.