Startup Overseas Forums

The BBC today is running with a story on the challenges of Going Global - http://www.bbc.com/news/business-33224596 - which is says are primarily down to a failure to understand that brand doesn't necessarily carry overseas. I would tend to agree. However also believe that companies regularly make the jump from initial research to genuine overseas incorporation without having done the correct research which would ultimately let them genuinely understand the markets they see as targets for expansion. In Dubai and the wider Middle East companies tend to see an exciting, low-tax, high consuming business environment where multiple international brands have enjoyed success and, in the Gulf Region in particular, where income per capita suggests high levels of personal spending. What they don't see are the hours taken to make sure the market place has been pre-shaped to ensure that success such as engaging with the right partner as opposed to the one who appears to be offering the best deal or understanding what the genuine drivers to buy might be. As with anywhere, these factors can be about brand, but are usually more complex, and a failure to understand this is what leads to failure. At Aldridges we have invested our time in building that knowledge and the networks that can help deliver success so that our clients have a much greater chance of achieving their goals before the formally incorporate.