Here are three quick tips I use before heading out on the next global business adventure — learned mostly by skipping them once and paying for it later.
1. Research The Rules Before You Research The Market
Regulations, tariffs, ownership restrictions and licensing requirements vary wildly by country, and they change more often than most executives assume. Find out what’s actually required to sell, ship, or operate before you fall in love with the market itself.
2. Talk To People Who’ve Already Failed There
Success stories are nice for a keynote. Failure stories are where the useful information actually lives. Find companies that tried and stumbled in your target market, and ask them exactly where it went wrong.
3. Test Small Before You Commit Big
A pilot shipment, a small distribution deal, a short trip — all cheaper than finding out the hard way that your product, your pricing, or your assumptions don’t translate.
None of this replaces a real market-entry framework, which is exactly why I built one. You can find it in the Market Access Toolkit, over on the Books page.