At the London & Beyond event in Stockholm, the message was clear: international expansion isn’t a leap—it’s a strategy. And too often, startups make the leap before they’re ready.

Speaking alongside experts from Goodwille, TABS Inc. and Nara Communications, Newfound’s Director, Steven Standring, shared what it really takes to crack the UK market—and the common pitfalls that stop great products from becoming global businesses.

Being product-led isn’t enough
If you’re not solving a meaningful, well-defined problem in the market you’re targeting, even the best tech won’t cut through. Your messaging, go-to-market strategy, and sales approach need to be rooted in customer need, not product features.

You can’t scale beyond founder-led sales without structure
Many startups grow through hustle and founder energy. But scaling requires a process. Steve outlined how to map your sales cycle, understand key influencers in a deal, and build a repeatable revenue engine that doesn’t rely on founder firepower.

Market maturity matters
If your target market is still in the early adoption phase, you’ll need a different approach than if you're entering one in mass adoption. That means understanding where your solution fits—and building the right team, messaging and KPIs to support that stage of growth.

You need to know your numbers
Steve broke down the KPIs that matter at each stage of the sales funnel—and why 3x pipeline coverage isn’t just a benchmark, it’s a baseline. Without tracking sales velocity, deal health, and conversion rates, your forecasts will always be fiction.

The UK as a Gateway

With its high-performing tech ecosystem, deep talent pool and £7.4bn in VC investment (just in H1 2024), the UK is well-positioned as a springboard into EMEA and North America. But it’s also a competitive, fast-moving market, so the margin for error is slim.

Steve’s advice?
“Define your problem. Build your plan. Then scale with precision.”

If you're a founder or scaleup eyeing the UK market, these are the foundations that will set you apart.

Want to discuss your go-to-market challenges? Drop us a line—we're here to help.

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