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Webinar – From Exports to Exit: How International Business Can Fuel Startup Success
October 23 at 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
When Sean Casey helped found helicopter parts supplier Rotorcorp, he quickly noticed that companies who deploy these “flying pickup trucks” weren’t confined within U.S. borders. From far-flung fisheries and oil wells to expansive cattle ranches and infrastructure monitoring, Robinson helicopters were being put to use all over the world in a variety of utilitarian, and sometimes unorthodox, applications.
The problem, he soon found, was that those who served them with spare parts were largely focused domestically, and online ordering, if it existed at all, was a far cry from the e-commerce ease most consumers expect in their personal shopping.
Mr. Casey set to work expanding in two interlinked directions: digitizing inventory and improving online sales, while also broadening company’s geographic reach, relying on a variety of freely available resources — and carefully crafted personal relationships — to become an expert in exports.
Rotorcorp achieved liftoff, and Mr. Casey exited the company in early 2025, taking his talents and hard-won international business lessons to Dragon Q Energy, a startup that distributes solar power poles outfitted with batteries to off-grid locations in need of reliable electricity. The company is set to launch a pilot project in Zambia as it raises capital to scale into disaster relief, telecom, commercial and military applications. With this new venture, Mr. Casey is building exports into the strategy at the outset, rather than bolting it on as an afterthought.
Attendees will glean the following takeaways:
- How local connections, free resources and commitment to global business can help unlock export success, pairing U.S. strengths with global demand
- How to bring e-commerce solutions and scale to a fragmented legacy industry stuck in analog processes
- Lessons on growing globally as a startup, and how international business can boost resiliency, attract capital and accelerate a business sale
Sean Casey, Chief Commercial Officer, Dragon Q Energy
A native of Rochester, New York, Sean Casey is the proud father of four children and has called Atlanta, Georgia home since 1997. After co-founding Rotorcorp in 2011, alongside his brother Daniel Casey, Sean assumed the leadership role as the company’s CEO in 2018.
A military veteran, Sean served as an M1 Abrams armored crewman in the U.S. Army and he embodies the leadership principles honed during his service. Sean is a hands-on operational leader, taking a n active role in defining the future state of the business, ensuring the correct people, tools, and resources are in place to achieve the strategic objectives.
With a passion for export and international trade, Sean has a a Certified Global Business Professional (CGBP) designation and was appointed by President Biden to serve a second term as a member of the Industry Trade Advisory Committee (ITAC) for Aerospace Equipment at the U.S Commerce Department in Washington D.C., is an active member of the District Export Council (DEC) through the U.S. Commercial Service, and serves on the Small Business Initiatives Committee of Vertical Aviation International (VAI). .Mr. Casey is also a Presidential ‘E’ Award for Exports winner.
