The following is a guest article by Jim Ogle, CFO of Anteriad. The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.

Expanding your business beyond the United States is an effective way to boost revenue, broaden your market footprint, and enhance global influence, but it is not a guaranteed success. Even the most streamlined expansion plan—such as hiring a local salesperson to "test the waters"—brings a host of ripple effects that can strain company resources. Businesses need to support the business that sales generates, adapt product positioning for a completely different market, and comply with local regulations and business practices, not to mention potential language barriers.

If a company plans to establish a larger international presence, it must also consider additional complexities, such as finding office space, researching regional competitors, opening bank accounts, and more. Cultural differences can also become obstacles. Nevertheless, many companies have successfully expanded and reaped positive returns. As a professional who has led finance teams through multiple international expansions, here is the experience I have gained, aimed at making the process as smooth as possible.

Do Your Homework First

The due diligence phase can sometimes seem like it slows things down, but it can save a significant amount of time in the months ahead. Assuming the initiative comes from a department head, working with the executive team—especially the CEO—and securing project sponsorship is critical.

The first step is to assess feasibility, for example:

  • Is there a clear demand signal for the product or service? Is the supporting data sufficient and statistically significant?
  • What does the competitive landscape look like? Are there numerous growth-stage companies in the field, have any competitors exited, or do newly hired employees bring their own client relationships?
  • Define what success looks like three years out. This should be a financial goal—how much you are willing to invest in year one to achieve the expected return by year three.

Once all parties reach consensus, every stakeholder needs to think comprehensively about everything involved in selling to buyers in another country. If you try to go it alone and establish a foothold overseas without the support of finance, legal, marketing, customer service, technology, and human resources departments, it is likely to backfire and create resistance when other departments are asked to "lend a hand."

Ideally, international expansion should be communicated as a priority to all relevant parties, and teams need to collaboratively plan the support they can provide to ensure the project gets off to a smooth start. Take a simple scenario: hiring a new salesperson in Europe and planning to attend multiple trade shows. The finance team needs to develop and approve a budget, the marketing team needs to provide promotional materials (possibly requiring translation), the customer service team needs to handle potential orders (also potentially in a foreign language), and the legal and data teams need to ensure the product complies with EU regulations.

Reduce Complexity Through Collaboration and Investment

Setting up an overseas operation can be easy or difficult. Hiring local experts, choosing a regulation-friendly market with moderate competition, and building an efficient, profitable team can provide a healthy foundation for the business. Conversely, entering an environment that is complex and costly, with an immature or saturated market and a lack of sales talent, will only add to the difficulty.

Unless there is a clear reason to enter a specific country, understanding the regulatory environment helps determine the best location for your first overseas presence. Conditions vary widely by country: France, Spain, and India carry heavier administrative burdens, while Singapore, Australia, and Ireland are relatively easier. Consider engaging consulting firms, as typically only large enterprises have the in-house capability to handle entity setup, tax, and payroll rules.

Opening banking relationships is often the trickiest step. If you already work with a global bank that handles your U.S. funds, it may be easier to open an overseas branch; otherwise, finding a bank willing to take on local business will be far more difficult. In our experience, Revolut has been the most flexible in such situations.

Rather than hiring a team directly, consider first engaging independent contractors through organizations like Globalization Partners to reduce the risk of setting up a full entity. Companies need to comply with relevant rules, and it is advisable to consult regional tax experts to establish a solid proof of concept. If you confirm that a full-time employee route is preferable, consider using companies like Vistra to assist with entity setup, payroll management, treasury operations, and legal compliance.

Regardless of how the team is structured, the key is to establish an on-site leader locally to assist with staffing. This person needs to be familiar with the market, the competitive environment, and local hiring practices, and is also critical to employee retention. Understanding local holidays, culturally significant dates, and labor relations helps build a more enduring operation. While remote work remains common in the U.S., office culture is more valued in Australia, Japan, and Europe. Fostering company culture and team cohesion in the local office is equally key to success.

Commit Fully to Communication

Unless the expansion target is Canada, cultural, language, and time zone differences are real obstacles that international teams must overcome to collaborate effectively. Organizing in-person leadership meetings, arranging off-site team-building trips, and holding regular Zoom meetings all help strengthen connections. At the same time, ensure full participation in important meetings and increase training and support to keep everyone aligned.

International expansion will never become easy—it is always far more complex than operating in a single market—but the rewards are substantial. Our international business enables us to serve global enterprises, gain a deeper understanding of how our products create value for a broader range of customers, and naturally boost revenue. With the right strategy and the right steps, international expansion becomes a smart move to propel the company into its next phase of growth.