I worked cross-border for the first time in the mid-1990s, interpreting Spanish calls for AT&T. What struck me then – and what still applies today – is how quickly things fail when people assume the way they work is universal. Nearly three decades later, after leading international growth at HubSpot and advising companies from Google to SaaS startups, I’ve seen the strongest domestic strategies fail abroad.
Here’s what I see all the time: teams believe they are global, but still rely on the comfort of their home market. Proximity bias and familiarity quietly creep in, and the playbook that worked so well at home suddenly doesn’t work anymore.
At HubSpot, I introduced the idea of being “Global First,” a mantra we repeated often. The idea was clear: stop treating foreign countries as an afterthought, because the tactics that work in your home market rarely contribute to the next market. The mindset needs to evolve from the start.
So what mistakes do teams make when expanding internationally and what should they do instead? Let’s break it down.
Table of contents
The common language problem sabotaging your global strategy
One of the first hurdles I see when expanding globally is surprisingly simple. People don’t speak the same language about what they want to do.
Before teams can even talk about strategy, they need a shared vocabulary. Too often, terms like translation, localization and globalization are used interchangeably, as if they mean the same thing. This is not the case, and confusing them leads to wasted money and false expectations.
Here’s how I break it down:
- Translation = adaptation of the messageor ensuring that the meaning is retained even when the words change.
- Localization = customization of the experience, or contextualize the entire customer journey and go beyond the text on a page.
- Internationalization = adaptation of the code. This is where infrastructure decisions, such as hard coding of US dollars, can create obstacles.
- Globalization = adjustment of strategy or mindset. This is the deepest level and requires rethinking the strategy for each market rather than applying the same playbook everywhere.
These distinctions are important because what seems like a simple “localization problem” is often something much deeper. I’ve watched teams waste months fixing translation issues. The real problem, meanwhile, was a lack of market strategy. Once everyone understands what these terms actually mean, people will stop spending money on the wrong things.
Where teams go wrong when expanding internationally
Companies still make the same mistakes when expanding internationally. Once you understand the above framework, these will become obvious.
Forget go-to-market fit
Most executives understand product-market fit, but few think about go-to-market fit. Just because you see website traffic from another country doesn’t mean there’s a business opportunity there.
I have seen several companies assume that it is time to invest in India after noticing an increase in traffic from the country. But when we looked deeper, these visitors weren’t willing to pay US prices, we didn’t accept rupees, and we didn’t have local payment processing. Transport did not offer equal opportunities. The market launch was not possible without adjusting prices and infrastructure.
At HubSpot, we encountered the same issue when launching our HubSpot CRM in Latin America. The product was well received, but HubSpot hadn’t priced it in line with the local economy, so only enterprise buyers could afford it. There was product-market fit, but market fit was limited to the wealthiest segment.
Assume that one strategy fits all markets
When HubSpot introduced changes to our partner program, someone asked me to localize an announcement email into Japanese. At first it seemed simple, but as we went through the email, we discovered that it contained several links pointing to dependent assets, including a video, ten blog posts, seven web pages, and more.
What seemed like a straightforward task turned out to be a localization project that would have cost tens of thousands of dollars.
So I asked the obvious question: How many partners do we have in Japan? It turned out there were less than ten, and they were all in Tokyo. Instead of this big, elaborate campaign, we simply invited them to our office in Tokyo to present the changes to them in person. It was less work for everyone and better suited to a culture that values personal relationships.
I faced a similar challenge with our website.
When we expanded into Japan, people wanted to translate our entire US website. But our US site was built for a market where we are already established. We are a public company that people know. In Japan? Nobody had heard of us. Why would we need this complex website with all of our partner integrations and advanced features when people didn’t even know who we were?
I’ve found that the playbook that works for a market leader doesn’t make sense when you’re simply establishing a foothold in a new region.
I’m trying to locate everything
Another mistake is to assume that teams need to localize every asset for every market. This way of thinking often leads to sprawling projects that eat up time and money without making much of a difference to local buyers. In reality, only a few high-quality assets usually cover most customer needs.
I always encourage teams to ask themselves what is essential at this stage of the market. Initially, it might just be a clear landing page, pricing information, or localized onboarding materials. You don’t need to mirror your entire US website or replicate every blog post to build credibility in a new region.
Focus on translation rather than adaptation
Translating is not just about words. What matters is whether the message resonates with people in a different culture.
When HubSpot entered the Japanese market, we discovered that our CRM was missing a feature critical to the region: business card scanning. In Japan, business cards are central to professional relationships, and every local CRM offers business card scanning. To be successful, we worked with Sansan to integrate this feature into HubSpot.
I still have a box of Japanese business cards from that era. I never had cards for the US market, but I really needed them for Japan because proper presentation is so important there. This small but meaningful detail shows that adaptation goes beyond language.
Building a global-first approach that actually works
Knowing what not to do is just the beginning. The real challenge is creating something that actually works.
Make global-first a mantra.
When I joined HubSpot, the first thing I realized was that global thinking needed to be part of everyday decision-making. To keep it top of mind, I started calling it “Global-First” and brought it up all the time – in meetings, on our company wiki, and whenever I spoke to executives.
I invited colleagues who care about international growth to serve as ambassadors and help spread the message. We even created a Slack channel for our global-first community so people across offices can connect and share ideas.
Eventually people started using the phrase without me having to push it. New employees would hear it from their teammates and start saying it too. I knew then that it would become an integral part of the way we work.
What you call it doesn’t really matter. What matters is making global thinking a fundamental part of how your company operates. At HubSpot we used “global-first,” but I’ve seen other companies adopt phrases like “global-ready” or “think global.”
Even small companies can benefit from early implementation. The sooner you make global thinking the norm, the more naturally it will grow with the company.
Think of every new market like a startup.
Every new market is like starting a small business within your company. They don’t yet have brand recognition, customer stories, or established partners. Success depends on proximity to the customer. This means talking to them often, listening carefully, and letting their feedback guide your next steps.
Start simple, act fast, build relationships and grow from the ground up.
Hire people with international experience and curiosity.
If I could only give one piece of advice, it would be to hire people who bring an international perspective. You may have lived abroad, speak multiple languages, or grew up in a multicultural household. Curiosity about other cultures is equally important.
Build this into your job descriptions and hiring practices. Make it a requirement, not just a “nice to have.” We don’t talk nearly enough about international diversity, but it has a tangible impact on growth. People with a global mindset naturally make decisions that strengthen global strategy.
Empower local voices.
Local teams are closest to the customer, but their voices are often drowned out by headquarters. You have to consciously reinforce them.
At HubSpot, we have developed two programs to address this problem:
- International Helmet (iHelm): A monthly meeting where executives heard directly from local teams about their specific market needs. Since international was our fastest growing segment, it was easier to commit to resources.
- The Tomodachi Program: A buddy system that connects team members from different regions. Tomodachi means “friend” in Japanese, and the program was created to help our Japanese team build relationships across the company. It was simple but effective: 30-minute phone calls between colleagues in different countries to exchange knowledge and make contacts.
These informal connections are crucial. When people maintain personal relationships across markets, they are more likely to consider global implications in their daily decisions.
Understand your maturity level in each market.
Don’t let striving cloud reality. I always advise teams to be honest about their current market position. Are people even aware that you exist? Are they considering you but haven’t made a purchase yet? Or are you already established and currently trying to optimize your processes?
Your tactics must reflect this reality and not where you would like to be.
Customize the product, not just the message.
Marketing changes can only achieve so much success. Sometimes you actually need to change your product to adapt to how people in different countries work. This may include accepting local payment methods, integrating with widely used software, or adapting your workflows to local business practices.
Build partnerships and trust, especially in relationship-driven markets.
In many Asian markets, who you know is more important than what your product does. You need government approval and proper introductions. Additionally, people need to believe that you are in it for the long haul. American companies often overlook this because we are used to more transactional relationships. The right partnerships can make or break your entry into these markets.
Leverage ecosystem connections strategically.
There are shortcuts to going global, especially for small businesses. Instead of building a presence in each country from scratch, you can leverage platforms where customers are already located. Start on Amazon or Etsy for instant reach in multiple countries, or leverage partner ecosystems like this HubSpot App Marketplace.
A company I advised Lottie dolls in Ireland used this approach to reach customers worldwide and maintain distribution that they would have difficulty building on their own.
Know when your global-first mindset is working
The real test of an international strategy is whether it strengthens the company as a whole. The expansion shouldn’t be a side project or a box to tick. It should directly contribute to goals such as diversifying sales, improving the product, or staying ahead of the competition.
At HubSpot, international growth has always been linked to company-wide goals. All too often, I see companies enter new markets based on a surge in traffic or a handful of lead inquiries. This reactive approach typically wastes time and resources. The companies that do it right combine international steps with clear goals right from the start.
When it works, you can see it clearly. Local insights shape product decisions. International colleagues take on leadership positions. Perspectives from abroad guide important decisions.
Too many companies still believe they can delay going international until they are “ready.” But by then, you’ve already built so many assumptions and biases into your product and processes that going global becomes a huge and expensive undertaking.
Think globally from the start. This doesn’t mean you have to start everywhere at the same time. Instead, you design things knowing that you will eventually expand beyond your home market. This makes everything else so much easier.