For many founders, international expansion feels like a natural next step. A few inbound enquiries from another market, some promising distributor conversations, and it’s tempting to see growth abroad as the logical sign of progress. But expansion is rarely just an opportunity question, it’s a timing question. Too early, and it can stretch a business thin. Too late, and you may lose your edge.

At Harvey-Scholes & Partners, we’ve worked with founders and leadership teams navigating international expansion, helping companies bring products and services to the UK as well as expanding into new countries across Europe.

1. Don’t Confuse Demand with Readiness

Interest from another market is exciting, but it’s not always a signal to scale. True readiness means your product, operations, and internal culture can travel without losing what makes them effective.

Often, the limiting factor isn’t sales potential but organisational capacity. Do you have the systems to manage distribution and customer support across borders? Are your team and processes scalable? A business stretched too soon risks burning energy on complexity rather than growth.

We’ve seen the strongest results from companies that pause to strengthen their domestic foundations before moving outward. It’s easier to scale clarity than chaos.

2. Pilot Before Larger Rollout

Big expansions rarely start with big moves. They start with a small, measurable discovery process. Running a pilot project in a target country directly, or through a distributor partnership, can tell you far more than any desk research.

For one client entering the Danish market, we encouraged a limited launch through a local distributor before committing to full-scale operations. Within months, they had tangible data on pricing, logistics, and customer feedback, and a far clearer sense of how to adapt their offering.

A good pilot should answer three questions:

• Is there real demand?
• Can we deliver effectively?
• What must we adapt in our product or service to fit the market?

Only once those answers are clear should you think about a larger more targeted rollout.

3. Choose Markets Strategically, Not Opportunistically

Europe may look like one region, but it’s a mosaic of distinct cultures, regulations, and customer behaviours. A product that flies in Germany might stall in Italy for reasons that have nothing to do with quality.

Before deciding where to go, founders should evaluate markets through a few simple lenses:

• Product-market fit: Is there a clear customer problem or demand your product solves?
• Accessibility: Can you reach and serve those customers effectively?
• Cultural and operational compatibility: Will your way of working function across borders?

It’s tempting to chase the market that shows the first spark of interest, but the most successful expansions are those that match a company’s strengths, not just its ambitions.

4. The Right Partners Accelerate Everything

No company expands alone. Strategic alliances with distributors, manufacturers, or service partners can dramatically de-risk entry and shorten time to market.

When working with European manufacturers and distributors, we’ve seen how partnerships can unlock credibility and efficiency. The best partnerships go beyond contracts; they’re built on aligned goals, clear communication, and a mutual understanding of what “success” looks like in that market.

For early-stage or lean teams, a well-chosen partner can be the difference between a smooth entry or a costly lesson.

5. Build a Bridge, Not a Branch

The most effective international launches are extensions of a company’s existing rhythm, not standalone operations. In the early phase, the goal isn’t to build a new business abroad, it’s to build a bridge between your core team and your new market.

That means staying close to feedback, keeping communication open, and maintaining cultural consistency. Expansion shouldn’t dilute your company or your values; it should scale them.

Growth with Intent

International expansion is one of the most exciting milestones in a company’s journey, but it’s also one of the most demanding. The companies that thrive abroad are rarely those that moved fastest, but those that moved most intentionally.

Taking time to validate, plan, and partner effectively doesn’t slow growth, it compounds it.

At Harvey-Scholes & Partners, we help founders navigate these decisions with clarity and confidence, ensuring that when expansion happens, it happens on strong foundations.

Why This Hybrid Role Is Becoming a Startup Essential — And How to Tap Its Value Without a Full-Time Hire

Startups today run lean, move fast, and thrive in controlled chaos. In this climate, a new hire has quietly become one of the most impactful early additions: the Founder’s Associate.

Part executive assistant, part chief of staff, part fixer — this hybrid role is typically brought in at the Seed or Series A stage to work side-by-side with the founder. Their job: extend the founder’s bandwidth, turn ideas into action, and bring order to the chaos of early growth.

So why is this role on the rise — and what does it tell us about how modern startups scale?

Why the Role Matters Now

In the early days, founders wear every hat: strategy, sales, hiring, investor relations, product. But as a team grows from 5 to 25, that model breaks. Not every startup is ready for a full leadership team — but they can’t keep running on founder firepower alone.

The Founder’s Associate bridges that gap. They act as a trusted right hand, handling operations, recruitment coordination, research, comms, fundraising prep, GTM launches — whatever is most urgent and important.

They sit close enough to the founder to grasp the strategic vision, yet remain flexible enough to execute across multiple functions.

“It’s a role born from necessity: a way to scale the founder’s time without diluting their vision.”

A Proving Ground for Future Leaders

This isn’t just a support role — it’s a launchpad. Many Founder’s Associates go on to become department heads, GMs, Chiefs of Staff, or even founders themselves.

It’s ideal for smart generalists — often ex-consultants, analysts, or early-career entrepreneurs — who want high-stakes exposure without locking into a single function too soon.

“It’s a two-way bet: founders get someone sharp, ambitious, and adaptable; the associate gets unmatched exposure.”

A Signal of Maturity in Early-Stage Startups

At Harvey-Scholes & Partners, we see the Founder’s Associate as a strategic milestone. Hiring one signals that a founder is:

• Moving from reactive mode to proactive scaling

• Starting to codify their vision and processes

• Ready to delegate meaningfully

“It reflects organisational self-awareness — and that’s a key ingredient in sustainable growth.”

Making It Work

The Founder’s Associate role thrives with clarity, not as a catch-all for “everything the founder doesn’t want to do.” Success depends on:

• Access to strategic discussions

• Ownership of defined workstreams

• A two-way development relationship

“Like any powerful tool, it needs structure to be effective.”

Final Thought

The rise of the Founder’s Associate reflects a smarter, leverage-driven approach to early growth. Founders are realising that leadership isn’t just about working harder — it’s about bringing the right people closer at the right time.

But not every startup is ready to commit to a full-time hire. Often, the need for high-level support comes before the perfect candidate does.

That’s why we created our Founder’s Associate Support service — flexible, embedded support designed to extend your capacity, sharpen your focus, and keep your momentum strong while you scale.

If that sounds like the edge your startup needs, let’s talk.

Welcome — and thanks for visiting.

I’m Rupert Harvey Scholes, founder of Harvey Scholes & Partners. After nearly a decade building and scaling businesses — most recently as co-founder and COO of Turvec Solutions — I launched this consultancy to help ambitious teams navigate pivotal moments in their journey.

Whether you’re entering new markets, refining your strategy, or wrestling with the realities of growth, I’ve been in your shoes. I know the value of having clear, considered support — someone who can zoom out to see the big picture, and roll up their sleeves to make it happen. This business is built on that principle.

We work closely with founders, operators, and leadership teams across sectors to deliver strategic clarity, operational momentum, and trusted advice. Our approach is hands-on, collaborative, and tailored to your unique context.

This space is where I’ll share ideas, frameworks, and insights I’ve found valuable — alongside lessons from the businesses I’m fortunate to work with.

Thanks again for visiting. If you’d like to explore how we might work together, I’d love to hear from you.

— Rupert