Considering an international business, but unsure what to build or where to start?
In just 5 days, we build a plan tailored to what you already have: hypotheses about what to take to market, market selection criteria, business model hypotheses, the logic behind the future structure, and the sequence of decisions to make before investing
About us
We are entrepreneurs. Since 1999, we have been launching, growing and selling companies across international markets. We have built and sold startups in the US, Europe and the Middle East, established investment funds, and managed capital at Rothschild & Co and TrueNorth Capital, with over €200 billion in assets under management.
Our projects include an InsurTech startup in New York that raised $32 million, a CleanTech fund in Ireland, and more than 60 businesses launched in 18 countries.
That experience adds up to a rare competence: building international businesses that become liquid assets. The Route is a short engagement: in a few days, we answer the question of what you need to do in your situation to build an international business.
What we see at the start of international projects
At the outset, an owner usually faces several disconnected decisions: country, product, partner, jurisdiction, local representative. The risk is that these decisions are made separately, before defining what business the company intends to build and what purpose it serves for the owner.
Typical situations clients bring to us:
- Markets are chosen for ease of entry rather than the owner's goals: a year later, the venture is closed because it has not delivered results
- Market entry relies on hiring local representatives, without producing results
- The decision is put off because there are arguments in favour of every option for international expansion
The Route: a plan built around your goals
In five working days, we map out the decisions ahead: which parts of your current business could go international, which options to test, what to calculate before investing, and in what order to proceed. Researching every country and every metric is impossible. The Route narrows the field to your business and your goals. You can follow this plan independently or with any external team.
The Route delivers hypotheses, selection criteria and a validation plan. Market research, the final market selection, the financial model, the offering and the legal architecture come at the next stage, in the Strategy.
Hypotheses about the asset to build
2-3 options drawn from our experience: which parts of your business to take to market to meet your goals, why we recommend them, and how the Route sets out to test each one.
Stages and decisions in the right order
Which decisions you need to make and when: what to decide before investing, and what can wait for the first market signals.
How to choose a market
Where to start, what data to collect, and which criteria matter in your case.
How to build a business model
How to find a model that generates sales in new markets and serves your long-term goals as an owner.
Options for international expansion
The options we consider most viable in your situation, and what needs to be confirmed before committing to one. We may also conclude that an international launch is not justified right now. That is a valid decision too, and we say so directly.
How to structure the business
The criteria for structuring an international business: where to locate the management and operating entities, what to consider on tax, and how the structure develops across countries as the business grows.
How the week works
Initial interview: day 1
An hour to discuss your goals as an owner and the resources your business has: product, team, capital, reputation and connections.
Brief: days 1-2
Based on the interview, we prepare a brief tailored to your business for you to complete.
Second interview: day 3
We discuss the completed brief and clarify your goals.
Building the Route: days 3-4
We develop hypotheses and a plan based on our experience, and run preliminary checks against market information.
Review session: day 5
60 minutes to walk through the plan together and answer your questions. You keep the document.
Terms
Let's talk about the Route
On a short call, we discuss your situation and tell you directly whether the Route would be useful at your stage. Choose a convenient time. The call takes 30 minutes.
On the call:
- We define your goals as an owner
- We assess what the Route would give you
- We agree on the week of work