Global Like Goldman

3. Align internal incentives

Talent, regulators, media, and customers are all actively looking for signals upon which they will build their lasting opinions.

To accomplish this, Goldman cultivated relationships with — and properly incentivized — well-connected "Country Advisors" who served as highly valuable strategic partners for the firm.

As divergent as the product considerations, business model, or go to market strategy may need to be in order to find success in new geographies, a shared point of view on the value of expansion and a collaborative internal approach to accomplishing goals abroad needs to be established.

Elements like seamless translation and more efficient payment rails have lowered the level of investment required to push into new markets and have been a driving force behind increased, and earlier stage, cross-border investment.

2. Grasp the contextual complexity

...scarcity in the ability to actually develop each "local" user experience in a way that both aligns with the culture of the new market and holds true to the company’s core product beliefs and north star vision for the business.

1. Make credible commitments