The Revenue Formula

Why you shouldn't internationalize (w/ Shantanu & Koen from Personio)


Listen Later

Everyone dreams about taking their company global. But most teams have no idea how hard it really is.

In this episode, Toni sits down with Shantanu and Koen from Personio to talk about why expanding into new markets can easily sink your go-to-market strategy. They’ve both helped companies like Gong, LinkedIn, and Personio grow across borders, and they’ve got the scars to prove it.


They dig into what founders get wrong about international expansion, how to tell if your product actually fits a new geography, and why “just translating the website” is never enough. You’ll hear how cultural nuances, regulations, and even small hiring decisions can make or break your success abroad.

This episode is brought to you by Evergrowth  —  Their Agentic GTM Workspace enables revenue teams to collaborate and win with AI-powered teammates, breaking down silos and helping B2B teams grow smarter with fewer resources.

Want to work with us? Learn more: revformula.io


  • (00:00) - Introduction
  • (03:57) - Common Mistakes in Expansion
  • (09:10) - Product Geo Fit
  • (11:59) - Localized Market Strategies
  • (19:25) - Cost and Investment in New Markets
  • (24:07) - Finding the Right International Leader
  • (25:53) - Practical Approaches to Market Entry
  • (32:07) - Viewing Expansion as a Bet
  • (34:51) - Team and Culture Considerations
  • (37:31) - Leadership Advice for International Expansion
  • (43:13) - Balancing Global and Local Needs
  • (47:24) - Navigating Complexity in International Operations
  • ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    The Revenue FormulaBy Toni Hohlbein & Raul Porojan

    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5
    • 5

    5

    8 ratings


    More shows like The Revenue Formula

    View all
    The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch by Harry Stebbings

    The Twenty Minute VC (20VC): Venture Capital | Startup Funding | The Pitch

    538 Listeners

    The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors by SaaStr

    The Official SaaStr Podcast: SaaS | Founders | Investors

    175 Listeners

    Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

    Making Sense with Sam Harris

    26,340 Listeners

    Pivot by New York Magazine

    Pivot

    9,626 Listeners

    Founders by David Senra

    Founders

    2,146 Listeners

    Børsen Morgenbriefing by Børsen

    Børsen Morgenbriefing

    25 Listeners

    My First Million by Hubspot Media

    My First Million

    2,638 Listeners

    Dwarkesh Podcast by Dwarkesh Patel

    Dwarkesh Podcast

    507 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    16,049 Listeners

    The Rest Is Politics by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is Politics

    3,138 Listeners

    The Town with Matthew Belloni by The Ringer

    The Town with Matthew Belloni

    1,107 Listeners

    Revenue Builders by Force Management

    Revenue Builders

    155 Listeners

    The RevOps Review by Cognism

    The RevOps Review

    4 Listeners

    RevOps Lab by Weflow

    RevOps Lab

    1 Listeners

    GTM Science - A show for GTM and RevOps leaders by Union Square Consulting

    GTM Science - A show for GTM and RevOps leaders

    3 Listeners