Why Preparation is Key to a Successful International Expansion

From finding the right location for your business to navigating local employment regulations, and understanding immigration laws to attract global talent, you must do the groundwork before setting sail across uncharted waters.

We talked to industry professionals for our LANDED podcast and we’re sharing their insights on the importance of preparation before making your big international move.

Preparing to find the right location

For a business looking to expand internationally, finding the right location sets the stage for success. In Episode 3 of LANDED, Gregg Wassmansdorf, professional site selector and Senior Managing Director at Newmark, shared why finding a business expansion location can be a complex process.

Working with a professional site selector may be the right option for businesses looking to expand because site selection needs special expertise.

“After the desktop research, there’s also field research. So, getting out in the world, flying places, getting on the ground, meeting with people, seeing property, meeting with utilities. And those are fact-finding meetings, but ultimately, they are also negotiating meetings,” Wassmansdorf said.

A site selector’s job involves finding locations that are reasonable, and then digging deeper to see if the new location aligns with the long-term business goals. In doing so, the next step is to disqualify locations that do not satisfy the fundamental business needs.

“Find the locations, disqualify the locations, optimize those locations. So, once you’re down to a very small set of locations that you think could be optimal – well, they’re not optimal until you do a lot of work. Meeting with utilities, property owners, local and regional senior levels of government, negotiating economic incentives, and on and on.”

By asking value-driven questions during site selection, businesses can ensure their new location aligns with their long-term goals. Preliminary discussions with advisors can further refine the search and ensure everyone’s on the same page, avoiding wasted time and resources.

But do you need to be a large enterprise to use a site consultant? Wassmansdorf said not at all.

“Any company should consider it, but the need really drives it. Are you big enough as a company that this is going to be a challenging problem? And are you small enough that you do not have the answers in-house? So yes, that would be the starting point,” he said.

Preparing to hire global talent

Pavan Dhillon, Principal Attorney and Founder of Dhillon Immigration Law, joined us for Episode 4 of LANDED. She offered her thoughts on why it’s critical to prepare for any potential immigration needs or challenges before beginning the hiring process.

Canada offers a variety of immigration programs to facilitate global talent hiring, including the Global Talent Stream and Intra-Company Transfer program. Dhillon shared that companies often lack preparation for program requirements or are unsure about which program suits their needs better.

“Because there’s so much attention around the Global Talent Stream and how fast it is, a lot of companies will reach out to me and say, ‘We want to do a Global Talent Stream application’ immediately off the bat,” Dhillon said.

“But we’ll look to see what their long-term and short-term goals are to make sure that that’s the right approach to take. Doing research, or just generally having a little bit more information about the process, is incredibly helpful.”

Businesses need to have a clear plan on what their potential immigration needs are before expanding into Canada because having the right talent is a critical success factor for businesses looking to expand. Collaborating with local agencies like our team at Waterloo EDC can provide valuable insights into what potential hurdles you’ll need to plan for.

Preparing to recruit locally

On Episode 2 of LANDED, Kristina McDougall, managing partner and founder of Artemis Canada, shared similar advice for hiring locally. She said that the efficiency of the process depends on the hiring organization’s preparedness and clarity in defining the requirements.

“When there’s a clear idea of what they’re looking for and what success looks like for the person filling the role, the process can move quickly. We’ve found great leaders in a matter of weeks because we have a network and know exactly what we’re looking for,” McDougall said.

Starting these conversations with recruitment experts early in the process can give you valuable insights into the local talent market. McDougall said this helps in designing an expansion plan that delivers a more efficient hiring process.

“That’s going to help you take advantage of the talent in the local community and set that team up for long-term success. So, start the conversation or really talk to us when you’re wondering about the talent pool and where to begin because we can help with some of those things.”

We’re here to help

Putting time and effort into preparing for your international expansion can be easier when you have the right resources.

Partnering with experienced professionals like Wassmansdorf, Dhillon, McDougall – and our dedicated team at Waterloo EDC – ensures you have a comprehensive understanding of the cultural, legal and logistical nuances to make your expansion a success.