Although the American market was meant to be the beginning of Billy’s big success, it goes without saying that the journey was filled with challenges. In the e-book “Det næste niveau”, Werner shares his experience:
“The big challenge when entering a market like the USA is that the market is 50 times bigger than in Denmark. There are generally more competitors, but at the same time, there are also more channels you can use to market your business. So, finding the right channels to promote yourself in the USA is much harder than in Denmark. In the USA, you need to find your niche, while in Denmark you can just do SEO, AdWords, and Facebook and you’ll likely find your customers there. Moreover, it can be difficult to navigate in the market when you’re not born in the USA, and maybe you don’t have that instinctive feel for the culture there. You might feel like you’re sitting in a small boat in a huge ocean, and as the saying goes, you’re really on foreign turf there.”
This isn’t to suggest that you should simply buy a plane ticket to the USA and expect success to come easily. Your business might not be ready for an international market yet, or may not even be geared for it.
However, Werner encourages entrepreneurs to give it a try. Even if it’s not cost-free, or you don’t succeed in the international market, the experience gained from taking your business abroad is invaluable.
“At one point, while we were in the USA, a fresh young Danish entrepreneur came by. He had traveled the long way from Denmark and was going to try his luck here in San Francisco for the next three months. First of all: Respect! That’s exactly what it takes: You buy a ticket and go. You don’t necessarily have to think that your business will become the next Facebook, but just by doing that, by opening your eyes to the whole world, you’re already way ahead.”
A lot of what you can learn from Werner’s story is about daring to take the plunge. It’s important to be willing to turn everything upside down, to be brave enough to venture into an unknown market, and to sail in that small boat in the vast ocean.
In general, the act of “daring” has been key to Billy and Werner’s success. But at the same time, one must also have the courage to let go when it’s time to move on. That’s why Werner handed over the role of CEO to Jonas Midtgaard, and later sold Billy.
