From Local to Global: Strengthening SMEs through Internasional Collaboration to Upscale Yussy Akmal’s Global Branding

Abstract

The program “From Local to Global: Strengthening SMEs through International Collaboration to Upscale Yussy Akmal’s Global Branding” was designed to enhance the global competitiveness of local creative industries, particularly focusing on Yussy Akmal—an SME specializing in culture-based crafts and fashion. Through collaborative training, mentoring, and digital branding initiatives, the program successfully bridged local identity with international market standards. Evaluation results revealed that 91% of participants improved their international marketing capacity, 84% gained confidence in engaging foreign markets, and 78% were motivated to innovate products aligned with global trends. The main outputs included a bilingual training module, a brand book, a digital lookbook, and active global social media platforms. This initiative proved effective in strengthening entrepreneurial skills, fostering global perspectives, and promoting sustainable cultural branding for Indonesian SMEs.