Export control and sanctions law reaches far more ordinary businesses than most of them realize, because it applies to software, technical conversations, and cloud access, not only to crates on ships. This article explains the three regimes that matter most — the Export Administration Regulations, the International Traffic in Arms Regulations, and the sanctions programs administered by the Treasury Department — and how to tell which one governs a given item. It covers the four questions that drive every export analysis, the concept of a deemed export, the reach of U.S. law over foreign subsidiaries and foreign-made goods, and the screening obligations that arise before a single shipment moves. It also addresses customs entry, tariff classification, valuation, and country-of-origin rules on the import side. Penalties, voluntary self-disclosure, and the practical shape of a compliance program round out the discussion. Examples follow a small manufacturer whose exposure grows quietly with each new customer.