European Market Entry, the Honest Version
Most European market entries fail not because the strategy was wrong, but because the company assumed Europe behaves like a single buyer.
What slows entry
- Ignoring local procurement and contracting norms
- Hiring local leadership through existing networks rather than profile
- Replicating the home-market sales motion without adaptation
- Treating Europe as one market rather than several
What works
- A small set of priority markets, sequenced honestly
- Local commercial leadership hired against profile
- Product positioning adapted to European buyer concerns
- Operating cadence that bridges headquarters and local leadership
https://niklaslindahl.com/essays/european-market-entry-the-honest-version