The wedge is not “international trade.” The wedge is trust transfer.
A focused execution kit for converting Ef’s lived Turkey→Japan seller experience into a verified sourcing desk: first prove trust in one corridor, then encode the repeated work into a merchant graph and RFQ operating system.
The argument, in order.
The site should read as a business case: why this exists, why you two, why this wedge, why now, and what to do next week.
Founder-market fit beats abstract market selection.
Ef has Turkish/Japanese language, lived seller memory, and prior Turkey→Japan trade experience. That is the first scarce asset.
The problem is trust, not discovery.
Buyers do not merely need names of suppliers. They need confidence that the supplier, quote, samples, documents, and communication are real.
The first product is a verified RFQ desk.
A private merchant graph + supplier shortlist + quote comparison is sellable before software, portals, escrow, or a public marketplace.
AI is an operations compressor.
Use AI to extract, translate, normalize, score, draft RFQs, compare quotes, and prepare buyer packs — not as the public pitch.
Decision library.
Each page now has a job. The first four are operational; the last two preserve research depth.
Current Plan
The live memo: wedge, thesis, first product families, offer, sprint, risks, and evidence required.
Read the memoProduct Scores
Separates demand/fit from execution friction so regulated categories do not masquerade as easy starts.
Inspect scoresTech Flow
The minimum system: private merchant graph, RFQs, quotes, interactions, buyer packs.
Open systemDashboard
The scoreboard for first proof: suppliers, buyers, catalogs, RFQs, quotes, samples, paid intent.
Open dashboardEf Map
How the corridor can expand after the first proof across Turkey, Japan, Kazakhstan, and Canada.
Open mapOptimization
Regulation, freight, category caveats, customs, taxes, and expansion logic.
Open researchWhat would make this real?
Not a prettier site. One buyer signal and one supplier response loop.
| Proof | What counts | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|
| Supplier proof | 10 Turkish suppliers contacted, 5 usable catalogs/MOQs, 3 export-ready candidates. | Shows Ef can activate supply, not just theorize it. |
| Buyer proof | 3 Japanese buyer/importer conversations with specific product requests. | Specificity separates commercial demand from polite interest. |
| Transaction proof | 1 paid shortlist/RFQ package, sample request, or buying mandate. | This is the first market signal worth building around. |