S5E11 - Secrets to Going Global: How Startups Can Succeed Internationally With Gilles Bertaux

In this insightful episode, Joran engages with Gilles Bertaux on the Grow Your B2B SaaS Podcast, the co-founder of Livestorm, a platform designed for organizing and hosting engaging webinars. Founded in 2016, Livestorm has successfully gone global, boasting over 5,000 clients worldwide. Gilles shares valuable lessons from Livestorm’s journey, offering a wealth of knowledge for startups looking to expand internationally. The conversation covers essential strategies and insights for businesses considering a global reach and the challenges that come with it. Key Timestamps (0:00) - Introduction and Hiring Strategies (1:06) - Episode Overview and Guest Introduction (1:39) - Definition of Going Global (2:33) - Considerations Before Going Global (4:03) - Language Barriers and Localization (5:28) - Initial Global Strategy for Livestorm (6:25) - Common Pitfalls in International Expansion (7:55) - Cultural Specificities in Going Global (8:16) - Expansion Strategies for European Companies (9:34) - Internal Operations and Hiring for Global Growth (10:56) - Balancing Global and Local Focus (12:01) - Challenges in Enterprise Sales and Global Focus (12:14) - Strategies for Entering New Markets (14:33) - Leveraging Data to Identify Market Opportunities (16:03) - Hiring Strategies for Global Markets (17:03) - Challenges in the US Market (17:41) - Best Practices for International Expansion (19:31) - Importance of Pricing Models and Currency (21:16) - Building a Team for Global Growth (23:06) - Challenges and Inequalities in Global Hiring (24:33) - Picking Your Battles in Global Expansion (25:13) - Focus and Marketing Message (26:25) - Steps for Entering a New Region (28:42) - Importance of Cultural Understanding (30:50) - Future Trends in International Expansion (33:13) - Advice for Startups Achieving 10k MRR (35:20) - Advice for Startups Growing to 10 Million ARR