For years, I’ve been deeply fascinated in how startups go from their home market to new international markets. From what I observe, it seems like the pace of international expansion is only getting faster. This might be a result of companies raising larger rounds earlier in their lives, drawing on the experience of executives who have launched products and companies in new markets, and the proliferation of the internet and new communication platforms that make it easier for companies to reach new customers and allow employees to communicate with each other more effectively.
I’ve personally been a part of numerous international expansion efforts. Some went fairly smoothly. Others flat out failed. But it’s always more expensive than we’ve budgeted for and more time consuming than we planned on. Through these experiences, I’ve amassed many techniques that I hope will help future companies plan and execute their internationalization efforts.