Why NO BS Exists
TLDR: Your startup’s chicken-and-egg problem when hiring and expanding into APAC is common. And solvable.
A couple of years ago, the seed stage startup I worked at was looking to expand into Australia because it had the right client profile and the highest spending in APAC in our segment.
We were rightly advised that we need a sales team on the ground with established networks and well versed in Aussie ways of doing business. We proceeded to interview and shortlist some brilliant candidates in Sydney and Melbourne.
Now, there’s no free lunch in sales. A market that has a high spending, booming economy has.. high wages!
We were left with 2 options.
Option A: Hire a talented, young professional at a lower salary, but that was risky because:
Could they build an understanding of a brand new market and figure out our ideal customer profile (ICP)?
Would they get meetings with that ICP, without an established network or brand to count upon?
Could they handle the pressure and responsibility of being employee #1 in a market?
Option B: Hire an experienced, well remunerated sales leader away who can solve for the above, that too had challenges:
Will a senior leader be able to deliver without a small army of trusted lieutenants putting in the hard yards- outreach, qualification, networking, contracts, etc.
Sales hiring and sales performance are notoriously unpredictable, ROI on the heavy investment is unpredictable
In countries where hiring and firing is difficult, an unsuccessful, unhappy pro can be the death knell for that market and for your team spirit
Classic chicken and egg right? You need to spend money to make money, but you can also spend money and not make any.
We didn’t end up making the Australia hire, instead doubling down on familiar markets.
Whether Australia or Singapore or Malaysia or Philippines or India, you’ve experienced this conundrum already. You’re hungry for growth, but you don’t want to go all in with a potentially bad hand. Chicken-Egg.
NO BS exists to solve this problem.
We work with you to drive the outcomes you need- quick and dirty(ish).
We’re real pros with real experience of growing young businesses in Asia
We don’t peddle clickbait theories or 20000 ft strategy consulting decks.
We work quickly, efficiently, smartly, economically. NO. BS.