How To Make It Big In The US As A Non-US SaaS Startup
Timo Rein, co-founder and CEO of Pipedrive, talks to Harry Stebbings about building a global SaaS company from Estonia, a country of about 1.3 million people. He covers localising for markets like Brazil, pricing across countries, how US and European investors differ, and running a team spread across locations.
Listen the original on saastr.com ↗
We link to the original and never republish it. All credit to Timo Rein.
Key takeaways
- A small home market can force you to think globally from day one.
- Localise properly where English won't do: Pipedrive translated the app, help centre and marketing for Brazil.
- No single global price is right; payment methods and habits vary even more than willingness to pay.
- Rein recommends living in the US for a while if you're a foreign founder entering it.
- With a distributed team, over-communicate and put local leaders in place who fit the culture.
Who it's for
Founders outside the US planning to sell into it, especially in SMB SaaS.
Why it's worth your time
First-hand detail on going international early, from a founder who took Pipedrive from Estonia to over 300 people.
More from Timo
All from Timo Rein →
More on strategy
All 39 →
The best founder writing, in your inbox
Hand-picked essays, talks and decks from the founders who built the companies. Free, and you can unsubscribe any time.