Although I am an economic geographer trained in the United States, most of my research has been conducted in Germany or Canada. Thus, I developed my disciplinary schema in a context different from the one where I now use it. This US-focused training taught me that before one examines the local dynamics of a particular industry, labor market, or enterprise, one must first identify national and regional trends. Identifying these larger trends frames the locale being studied and isolates the effects of larger economic forces, revealing local idiosyncrasies. Moreover, this framing requires the use of richly detailed secondary data, usually collected by the US Census Bureau. My experience has revealed that secondary data outside the United States are not always collected or available at the richly detailed resolution that my disciplinary schema prompts me to expect. While frustrating, this has led me to search out other forms of secondary data, such as trade directories. Experience, too, has taught me the importance of pilot studies and preliminary fieldwork to locate the sufficient and appropriate secondary data to conduct my research. [This content is provided in the format of an e-book.]