International growth doesn't start with a new company

Successful international growth is not primarily about choosing a market. It starts with a clear vision for the future of the business.

Recently, I spoke with an entrepreneur in the agricultural sector who saw opportunities in Germany. His specific question was: can you help us with our expansion?

My first step was not to assess the German market. Instead, we went back to the ambition behind the plan. Why Germany? And what ultimately did the entrepreneur want the expansion to achieve for the business?

The entrepreneur was not just looking for new customers. He wanted to become less dependent on a single market and make his business more resilient for the future. This changed Germany from a goal into a potential route.

First the ambition, then the solution

My conviction is clear: international growth does not start with the question of which country is interesting. Growth starts with deciding where you want your business to be in five or ten years.

This aligns with the way companies within Seed Valley operate. Breeding companies think internationally and invest today in varieties, technologies and applications whose value may only become apparent years later. Looking ahead is not simply an ambition here; it is an integral part of entrepreneurship.

That is precisely why international growth requires more than a market analysis. A growth plan should also answer the question of whether the organisation is ready for the next phase. Are processes scalable? Is sufficient knowledge available? What investments and financing are required? And what do the plans mean for tax, governance and risk management?

From growth opportunity to a future-proof decision

BDO brings these different perspectives together. Drawing on our broad expertise, we help entrepreneurs translate their ambitions into well-founded scenarios and concrete choices. Not just from a financial or tax perspective, but across the business as a whole.

A foreign market can be the right next step. But only if that step contributes to the future you have in mind as an entrepreneur.

The best growth strategy therefore does not start with a country on the map, but with a clear decision about the business you want to build.

Would you like to exchange ideas on this topic or discover what else BDO can do for your business? Get in touch with me or meet our specialists during the Week of Value.

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Tom Mosch AA

Senior Accountant & Advisor | BDO Accountants & Advisers

Knowledge Partner of Seed Valley

tom.mosch@bdo.nl