In our Europe to US series, we speak with founders and advisors about the complex topic of breaking into the US market from Europe. We talk about everything from early scrappiness to hiring, culture, and go-to-market strategy. You can find the full conversation on Spotify and YouTube below.
Highlights from this conversation:
- The traits of successful early US teams and why “Swiss army knife” hires matter
- Why sending a senior leader or founder is critical to early success
- What European founders misunderstand about US buyer psychology
Lance Olmsted has led international expansion and enterprise sales at global software leaders including Redzone, IFS, and Copperleaf. As an Expedition operating advisor, he helps European founders navigate the realities of selling, hiring, and scaling in the US. In this conversation, Lance explains how to spot true readiness for US expansion, why you can’t treat the US as one homogeneous market, and what it takes to build local momentum from day one. Drawing on decades of experience, he shares the pitfalls that cause most European companies to stumble and how the best ones avoid them.
More from the conversation:
- How US customers evaluate risk and why speed often beats perfection
- How to align incentives and compensation for US go-to-market roles
- Common mistakes in timing, hiring, and positioning across the Atlantic