Welcome to our Founders Series, where we aim to give advice, answer questions and provide solutions for people starting their own businesses. If this sounds like you, read on! We've got plenty of content on a wide range of topics, all to help you grow and succeed as a founder.

Is it time to take your business from local legend to global sensation? For many businesses, the promise of reaching new markets, tapping into broader revenue streams, and building international recognition is something to aspire to. 

But while the idea of going global is exciting, the journey calls for careful planning and readiness. So whether you’re hoping to become the next Airbnb, or you just want to run a much-loved BNB in your town, we’re here to provide you with the support you need.

Decide whether global expansion is right

Going global is undoubtedly a thrilling prospect, but staying local can sometimes be the smarter choice. Businesses with niche products or a loyal local following often find more success by focusing their efforts on nurturing a strong, devoted community.

Marks & Spencer is a prime example of a brand that’s pushed the limits of local growth. Despite being a big player in the UK supermarket space, and even boasting an impressive following on social media, they’ve stayed within British borders since being founded in 1884. In doing so, they’ve been able to expand their product range to include clothing, beauty, and food – plus, focus on shedding their retiree affiliation in more recent years.

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Key takeaway: Staying local doesn’t mean being irrelevant.

Grow at your own pace

Ironically, the first step to preparing for international growth is a little closer to home than you might think. Mastering your local market will help you understand your early adopters and the USPs they value – a lesson that’s vital throughout each stage of growth.

Take Gymshark, for instance. From humble beginnings in a Birmingham garage to the global fitness powerhouse you know today, they honed their product range before strategically expanding when the time was right. Similarly, Danish coffee chain, Joe & the Juice, fostered a cult-like following in regional markets before cautiously stepping onto the world stage.

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Key takeaway: Sometimes, being the biggest fish in your pond is the smartest move.

Prepare your business for a global audience

Scaling globally requires more than just ambition – you need preparation. And lots of it. Make sure your operations, infrastructure, and market demand meet the challenges of international expansion. It’s easy to underestimate the complexities that come with catering to a global audience – like handling surges in website traffic, for instance. 

Think of your website as the face of your brand for international customers – it needs to be optimised to meet their expectations as a result. This includes tailoring your site for different regions with localised domains, making it available in multiple languages with on-point translations, and prioritising a mobile-first design to cater to the habits of a global customer base.

One global business that knows this all too well is Spotify. Despite serving 626 million users per month, the music streaming service faced over 8000 outages following Taylor Swift’s 2022 album release, Midnights. The app ultimately lost ad revenue and faced an embarrassing PR blunder in the media.

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Key takeaway: A successful global brand starts with a good digital foundation.

Maximise your potential with Fasthosts

Global growth isn’t a one-size-fits-all strategy. If you’re dreaming of breaking into international markets or maximising your local potential, doing it right depends on the strength of your brand at home.

And Fasthosts is here to make sure your digital presence is as strong as it can be. Give us a call on 0800 0612 153 to explore our hosting solutions and take the next step in your business journey.