This week, our client spotlight is Sebastian Emrani, President of AMI USA in Orange County, CA. We spoke with Sebastian about his company, the challenges of international shipping, and got some words of wisdom for new businesses!

TenantBase worked with AMI as they were looking for a new space in Newport Beach, which included finding a warehouse office environment for their office in Orange County to most effectively showcase the business to clients.

Sebastian Emrani, President of AMI USA

About AMI:

AMI is a one-stop international solution for personal or business delivery needs. With 14 offices around the world including branches in Africa, China, India, and the Middle East, AMI is able to assist suppliers, manufacturers, and clients who are trying to export or import goods in and out of the United States. AMI is able to handle all sizes of inventory, from small personal packages to oversized project cargo such as mining equipment. They also offer a comprehensive list of delivery options, including Sea Freight, Air Freight, Land Transport, Project Cargo, 3PL/Warehousing, Packing and Removals, and value added services. AMI is a licensed freight forwarder. 

The Problem:

Many individuals and companies overspend on shipping because they are unaware of alternatives to popularized small-scale delivery solutions such as FedEx. Exporting and importing is a difficult task and requires a significant amount of time to manage. Commonly, large, important shipments are delayed, which can mean losing customers. Unknowingly, many companies are spending too much time and money on shipping.  

The AMI Solution:

Being an expert in the industry, AMI is able to consult clients on logistics throughout the supply chain and streamline shipping processes. This helps clients save money and get products where they need to be on time, which enables companies to add value to their goods and products (hence, higher profit margins and happy customers).

Customer service is paramount to AMI, and the team fastidiously tracks every step of the import/export to ensure goods are delivered on time. One of the main ways that AMI meets various international shipping challenges is by using technology. They use a singular dedicated shipping system that makes shipping efficient and saves clients valuable time.

Sebastian’s Advice for New Small Businesses:

• Make a plan: When your business is starting out, it is important to plan strategically; have a 3-month, 6-month, and year or more business plan. Teams need concrete goals and vision for the future!

• Focus on numbers and projections: Creative ideas are important, new businesses need to set projections and goals, ideally for their next three years.

• Meet your goals: When new businesses are well planned, they should be able to break even or become profitable within a 36 month time frame. 

Sebastian's Orange County Recommendations:

• Best area in Orange County for business meetings: The AMI office!

• Favorite neighborhood in Orange County: Irvine, where my friends and family live. 

• Favorite recreational activity in Orange County: I like sports. It is important to balance a busy life with mental breaks. One of best ways to do that is through physical activity, whether it is golf, tennis, basketball, boxing, or just going to the gym.

• Favorite restaurant in Orange County: Ruth's Chris has the best steaks. One of my other favorites is a sushi place on PCH in Laguna Beach called 242 Cafe Fusion. It is very different from any other sushi restaurants and the menu is creative. Every dish is inspired and named after something on natural, like a sunrise.

Thank you to Sebastian and AMI for participating in this week's Client Spotlight!