A valuable handbook for entering, launching, and growing business in the United States
The U.S. is the best place for business. It has the biggest economy, wealthiest consumers, ready capital financing, and a pro-business legal system. Immigrants can attain their American Dream. However, foreign executives and entrepreneurs often underestimate the challenges and complexity of doing business in U.S. markets.
Make It in America: How International Companies and Entrepreneurs Can Successfully Enter and Scale in U.S. Markets provides valuable insights, useful tools, and practical advice on a wide range of topics, including: financing, marketing, managing legal and tax requirements, protecting intellectual property, working with Americans, and navigating the visa and immigration system. The book includes case study lessons from businesses that came to the U.S. from South Korea, Scotland, Italy, India, Germany, France, England, Denmark, Colombia, Canada, and Australia.
Author Matthew Lee Sawyer is a business and marketing strategist who has built dozens of successful brands and start-up businesses for both U.S. and international companies. He is Managing Director of a global consulting firm and teaches at Columbia University and NYU.
An indispensable resource about doing business in the U.S. for international business leaders, entrepreneurs, expats, and foreign students, Make it in America also provides valuable lessons for Americans who want to learn about the challenges that non-U.S. nationals face.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments xiii
Introduction 1
1 Welcome to America 11
Case Study: MediaCom (Colombia) 18
2 Why the United States? 23
Case Study: Rokt (Australia) 35
3 Land of Dreams 45
Case Study: Three American Dreams 52
Jordi Muñoz (Mexico) 52
Pooja Mahajan (India) 54
Pierre Gervois (France) 55
4 Plan for Success 61
Spotlight: White Claw (Canada) 68
Case Study: Too Good to Go (Denmark) 73
5 Timing Is Everything 79
Case Study: Menck Fenster (Germany) 91
6 Where to Play 97
Case Study: Renson (Belgium) 113
7 Make It Legal 117
Case Study: Pillow Partners (Scotland) 132
8 Financing U.S. Expansion 139
Case Study: Alpina Foods (Colombia) 152
9 Understanding Americans 159
Case Study: Tesco (U.K.) 175
10 Building Teams and Navigating Visas 181
Spotlight: Eataly (Italy) 186
Case Study: Petplan (U.K.) 194
11 Establishing Market Presence 201
Spotlight: MediaMint (India) 212
Case Study: Hyundai (South Korea) 216
Appendixes
A. Go-to-U.S. Market Readiness Checklist 221
B. Startup in U.S. Readiness Checklist 225
C. Legal Checklist 229
Glossary 233
About the Author 239
Index 241