International Business: What I Wish I Knew

International business mostly comes down to listening and relationships. The paperwork, the shipping and the legal side matter, and you can hire help for them. What you cannot hire is the trust that gets built when you sit across a table from someone and ask good questions. That is what I wish someone had told me earlier.

Where I have worked

I started in the UK, where I learned the trade. I now live in Orlando and run my companies from there. For work I have visited eight countries, including Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Denmark, France, Monaco and Spain. In the USA I have served ten or more states.

That spread has shown me that a market is a set of people. Dubai is one of the fastest moving construction markets I have seen. In Copenhagen I was studying Scandinavian materials engineering and design-led surfacing standards. Nice and Monaco showed me how much European supply relationships rely on meeting face to face.

Start by listening

Walk into a meeting in a new country assuming you know less than you think. Your own market has habits you take for granted. Someone else's market has different ones. The most useful thing you can do early is ask what matters to them and then keep quiet long enough to hear the answer.

It sounds obvious. It is also the step people skip when they are keen to pitch. A pitch that ignores the room costs you the room.

A pitch that ignores the room costs you the room.

Relationships are slow on purpose

European supply relationships get built face to face. A video call helps, and meeting in person does more. The first meeting is rarely where a deal happens. It is where both sides decide whether they want a second one.

Plan for that. Give new partners time, follow up on what you discussed, and hold off on pushing for a commitment before they know who you are. It feels slower. It tends to save time because there are fewer surprises later.

Take your product seriously and your assumptions lightly

My business sells surfacing, so I care about finish quality. Monaco is a good example. High-end residential and hospitality work there leaves no room for an average finish.

Hold your assumptions loosely at the same time. Reading about Scandinavian design-led standards is one thing. Going to Copenhagen to study them is another, and the second tends to change what you think.

Presenting abroad

I presented Resin Rock at the World Stadiums & Arenas Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on the Seminar Theater stage. It was a long way from where I learned the trade. Whatever the room, the talk has to be cut down to what the audience can use.

You can see photos and film from the stage on the awards and stage page.

Keep the paperwork in its place

Cross-border work comes with paperwork, shipping questions and legal checks. Take them seriously and get qualified help. They are the floor you have to clear to do business at all.

People who treat the admin as the main event often neglect the conversations. They arrive with documents and no idea what the other side cares about. Do the admin well and do it in the background.

Speaking from two homes

Working between the UK and the USA gave me a view of both. I learned the trade in one country and built a company in the other. Each side has habits the other side finds odd, and being fluent in both helps when you are translating an idea from one market to the next.

Questions to ask before a trip

Before you go anywhere new for work, write down what you want to learn, who you want to meet and what would count as a useful trip. That keeps the visit from turning into sightseeing with a business card. Afterwards, check the list again and see what is still open.

Questions people ask me

How many countries have you worked in?

I have visited eight countries for work, and I have served ten or more US states.

What is the biggest mistake when expanding abroad?

Talking before listening. Every market has its own habits, and it pays to learn them before you assume.

Do you help companies expand into new markets?

Yes. Industry expansion is one of the topics I cover in consultations. See the companies I run for context on what that experience looks like.

Plan your next market with me

If you are thinking about taking your business across a border, I would like to hear your plan. Book a call and we will start with who you need to meet. You can read more about me first.