# How to turn a UK startup into a global success 
Author:  Pal Sinha, Barnali 
Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali
Published: 2016-09-20
Category: BUSINESS
Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/business
Meta Title: Andy Shannon - Tips for Global Startup Success
Meta Description: Discover the key steps for startups to make a smooth transition from a domestic business to an international success. From choosing the right expansion country
URL: https://financedigest.com/how-to-turn-a-uk-startup-into-a-global-successhtml

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_**Andy Shannon**, Head of_ [_Startupbootcamp Global_](https://www.startupbootcamp.org/)

 Andy Shannon

After establishing a successful business in the UK, the next step for many startups is to look beyond these borders and introduce their products and services to a global market. That said, not every business that sets out for global expansion succeeds. So what exactly must startups do to ensure they make the smooth transition from a domestic business to an international success?

**Identify the right expansion country**

It is important for startups to correctly evaluate a [country’s market size](https://www.financedigest.com/prefabricated-homes-market-report-2021-by-global-key-players-types-applications-countries-market-size-forecast-to-2029.html "Prefabricated Homes Market Report 2021 By Global Key Players, Types, Applications, Countries, Market Size, Forecast To 2029") before expanding into it. [Startups can often wrongly assume a larger market equates to a bigger opportunity](https://www.financedigest.com/corporate-venture-capitalists-eye-startup-opportunities-across-cee.html "Corporate venture capitalists eye startup opportunities across CEE") and head there without further thought. However, as market opportunity increases so too does local [competition with the advantage of better market understanding](https://www.financedigest.com/anti-snoring-devices-and-snoring-surgery-market-strategic-analysis-to-understand-the-competitive-outlook-of-the-industry-2024.html "Anti-snoring Devices and Snoring Surgery Market Strategic Analysis to Understand the Competitive Outlook of the Industry, 2024") and an established customer base.

That said, startups can overcome some barriers by simply taking the time to educate themselves on the [local nuances before entering a market](https://www.financedigest.com/foolproof-local-marketing-strategies-for-small-businesses.html "Foolproof Local Marketing Strategies for Small Businesses"). Any intelligence a startup can gather pre-launch will help, which could be as simple as choosing a [market based on where a founder’s family lives to gain local connections and insight](https://www.financedigest.com/vibratory-feeder-machine-market-insights-deep-analysis-of-key-vendor-in-the-industry-2019-2029.html "Vibratory Feeder Machine Market Insights, Deep Analysis of Key Vendor in the Industry 2019 – 2029"). This will likely result in more appropriate [product positioning](https://www.financedigest.com/creating-a-positive-and-productive-culture-within-the-workplace.html "Creating a Positive and Productive Culture Within the Workplace") and the higher ability to ‘hit the ground running’.

**Hire the right people**

Every startup struggles to hire and [retain top](https://www.financedigest.com/malta-retains-top-spot-for-rainbow-europe-rights-say-activists.html "Malta retains top spot for ‘Rainbow Europe’ rights, say activists") talent in home markets, but staffing can easily become more of a challenge when expanding overseas. Not only do [recruitment practices differ from country to country but businesses lack the ‘home court’ advantages of brand](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-find-and-recruit-content-creators-that-align-with-your-brand-organically.html "How to find and recruit content creators that align with your brand, organically") reputation, ecosystem presence and dedicated hiring support.

Recruitment agencies obviously provide local knowledge and can [save time](https://www.financedigest.com/how-omnichannel-identity-servers-help-enterprises-enhance-customer-experience-unlock-cost-savings-and-accelerate-time-to-market.html "How omnichannel identity servers help enterprises enhance customer experience, unlock cost savings and accelerate time to market"), but startups often overly rely on this type of external support. Optimally a startup’s founders should spend ample time in a new [market to establish connections](https://www.financedigest.com/connectivity-to-run-through-the-automotive-filters-market-at-a-cagr-of-4-1-from-2019-to-2029.html "Connectivity to run through the Automotive Filters Market at a CAGR of 4.1% from 2019 to 2029") with many local resources. Taking part in local startup meetups, conferences and industry groups is [time consuming](https://www.financedigest.com/adapting-payments-to-reassure-consumers-and-safeguard-profitability-during-times-of-uncertainty.html "Adapting payments to reassure consumers and safeguard profitability during times of uncertainty") but is an investment that can pay off handsomely in the long run. It can also help with other aspects such as [market knowledge](https://www.financedigest.com/auto-parts-cleaning-machine-market-the-report-gives-immense-knowledge-on-the-competitive-nature-of-key-players.html "Auto Parts Cleaning Machine Market: The Report Gives Immense Knowledge On The Competitive Nature Of Key Players") and customer development as well.

**Ensure clear processes are in place**

As a company expands, its founder/s won’t have capacity to manage the [business and drive](https://www.financedigest.com/the-collective-power-of-partnerships-integrating-payment-solutions-to-drive-business-success.html "The collective power of partnerships: integrating payment solutions to drive business success") international expansion by themselves. Having a strong [leadership team](https://www.financedigest.com/zivver-expands-leadership-team-names-three-new-c-level-executives.html "Zivver Expands Leadership Team, Names Three New C-level Executives") with a shared vision and capable of scaling is critical to maintaining quality operations in new markets.

All startups should begin developing processes and templates from day one to prepare for eventual growth. From staff on-boarding to sales, tasks carried out on a regular basis should be well thought out and clearly documented. Templates should also be [developed wherever possible to ensure](https://www.financedigest.com/how-can-we-ensure-that-africas-energy-transition-aligns-with-its-development-ambitions.html "How can we ensure that Africa’s energy transition aligns with its development ambitions?") work is not repeated. For example, [creating a marketing collateral library that is easily tailored to expansion markets can help align communications and build](https://www.financedigest.com/could-the-surging-build-to-rent-market-create-emerging-opportunities-for-investors.html "Could the surging build-to-rent market create emerging opportunities for investors?") a consistent visual brand.

**Set consistent communication channels**

Managing international offices, different cultures, languages and time differences is challenging for any company. It’s simple to say ‘teams need to communicate regularly’, yet it’s difficult to execute well and absolutely critical to get right. Setting a policy of regular catch up calls with a structured agenda goes a long way to align a distributed team when face-to-face time is restricted.

Using a specific tool such as Trello or Asana across the entire team will aid project management, while having everyone on the same chat [platform such as Slack or Whatsapp aids quick and informal communications](https://www.financedigest.com/cloud-communication-platform-market-2022-scope-of-current-and-future-industry-2030.html "Cloud Communication Platform Market 2022 | Scope of Current and Future Industry 2030") across time zones. Even choosing a standard video conference tool such as Skype, Google Hangouts and GoToMeeting can save time and minimise connection difficulties.

**Securing** [funding from US investors](https://www.financedigest.com/entrepreneur-investor-dale-w-wood-shares-how-he-is-using-his-funds-to-create-change.html "Entrepreneur & Investor Dale W Wood Shares How He Is Using His Funds to Create Change")

UK startups often dream of cracking the US [funding market](https://www.financedigest.com/white-bullets-collaboration-with-polands-sygnal-association-makes-a-significant-dent-in-ad-funded-piracy-in-this-key-european-market.html "White Bullet’s collaboration with Poland’s Sygnał Association makes a significant dent in ad-funded piracy in this key European market"), but with so many startups competing for limited capital, VCs often require a physical US presence. Merely [saying](https://www.financedigest.com/new-study-shows-49-of-marketers-say-they-are-looking-to-contextual-advertising-to-replace-cookies.html "New Study Shows 49% Of Marketers Say They Are Looking to Contextual Advertising to Replace Cookies") “we plan to enter your market” won’t suffice. You’ll [need to show tangible evidence your business](https://www.financedigest.com/why-businesses-need-to-shift-their-e-invoicing-approach-from-local-and-tactical-to-scalable-and-strategic.html "Why businesses need to shift their e-invoicing approach – from local and tactical to scalable and strategic") is making the move across the pond.

While committing to a US presence and establishing relationships with US investors definitely raises a startup’s chance to raise funding, many fall short by thinking a quick ‘tech tourism’ visit will suffice. Flying to New York or San Francisco for a week and meeting a few investors will not secure funding. Startups need to invest at least six to nine months of their [time consistently being on the ground and nurturing investor relationships to successfully raise US funding](https://www.financedigest.com/female-founders-still-struggle-to-get-funded-time-to-rip-up-the-old-rulebook.html "Female Founders Still Struggle to Get Funded: Time To Rip Up The Old Rulebook").

**Don’t [expand your business](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-expand-business-reach-with-event-driven-apis.html "How to expand business reach with event driven APIs") too early** Being the first to enter a new [market can be a lucrative move](https://www.financedigest.com/these-days-tik-tokers-can-move-markets-more-than-investment-analysts.html "These days Tik-Tokers can move markets more than investment analysts…"), but many startups have failed by ‘jumping the gun’ on expansion before being ready. At the pivotal early stage of a business it takes a lot of time and energy to [turn](https://www.financedigest.com/tips-on-how-startups-can-turn-their-business-into-a-success.html "Tips on how startups can turn their business into a success") initial customers into repeat business. A management team’s full attention is required to truly understand their [end user’s need before planning a growth strategy](https://www.financedigest.com/industrial-gauges-market-competitive-growth-strategies-based-on-type-applications-end-user-and-region.html "Industrial Gauges Market Competitive Growth Strategies Based on Type, Applications, End User and Region").

Expansion is an expensive process and a [startup in search of a sustainable business model both at home and abroad can quickly](https://www.financedigest.com/4-strategies-for-quickly-growing-your-startup.html "4 Strategies for Quickly Growing Your Startup") eat into their cash reserves. Startups not only need to have plenty of cash reserves, but optimally they should have investors who could quickly react in the case that more funding is needed.


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