Twodeck

13/05/2026

In the early days, founders carry export on their shoulders.

You drive the deals. You manage the relationships. You fix the issues.

It works—but only up to a point.

Then it starts to slow you down.

Real international growth happens when the business, not the founder, carries the load.

That means putting proper systems and processes in place.

So things run without constant intervention.

There’s a short video below where I explain how to think about that shift.

06/05/2026

Strategy is the easy part to get excited about.

New markets. New customers. Big plans.

But the real work starts after that.

How does your team actually deliver on it?

Who owns what?

What gets measured?

How do things run week to week?

Without that, even the best strategy falls apart.

International growth isn’t just about choosing the right market. It’s about building a way of operating that works in that market.

I’ve shared a short video below that walks through how to think about it properly.

05/05/2026

Who does't hate Crocs.

THAT'L BE ME THEN!!

This is a masterclass because Crocs has crossed one of the hardest inflection points in international expansion: shifting from being a domestically anchored business with global upside… to a globally anchored business with domestic support. That line in the article, where international revenue overtakes North America for the first time, is not just a milestone, it’s a strategic re-platforming of the entire company. It signals that Crocs has successfully built repeatable, scalable demand engines in multiple markets, not just exported product. The reference to “white space” in Tier 1 markets like China and Japan is even more telling. They’re not chasing fringe growth, they’re systematically penetrating high-value markets where brand relevance, distribution, and cultural alignment are all compounding together.

What elevates this further is the balance between aggression and control. Crocs is expanding product categories, scaling digital channels like TikTok Shop, and activating culturally relevant moments (NBA All-Star, rodeos), while simultaneously managing supply chain diversification, inventory turns, and macro risk exposure. That’s the difference between international activity and international strategy. They’re not just growing abroad, they’ve built a system that can absorb shocks (oil prices, regional conflict), optimise margin, and still push brand heat globally. In simple terms: they’ve aligned demand creation, distribution, product expansion, and operational resilience into one cohesive engine.

That’s exactly what most brands fail to do when they “go international.”

04/05/2026

A lot of founders think they need a better strategy.

Most don’t.

They need better ex*****on.

The difference shows up quickly when you go international. Partners expect consistency. Orders need to land on time. Margins need protecting.

Without systems, routines, and accountability, things drift.

And when things drift, growth stalls.

The brands that scale aren’t perfect strategists. They’re disciplined operators.

They show up every week and execute.

There’s a short video below where I unpack this properly.

30/04/2026

My son’s in the back of the car, belting out Wish You Were Here on the way to football… and I make the mistake of correcting him.

“How I wish, how I wish you were here…We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl…Same old fish.”

I pause, “Mate… it’s fears.”

He doubles down. “Nah. Same old fish.”

Now I can’t un-hear it.

And the worst part - it kind of works.

28/04/2026

Lee Kuan Yew once explained the difference between East and West in a way most businesses still fail to grasp. The American system was built on the individual, shaped by frontier expansion and uninterrupted institutional growth. It rewards independence, speed, and the belief that success is self-made. China, by contrast, was shaped by centuries of instability, fragmentation, and survival through networks. The family, the extended network, the collective came first. Trust was not placed in systems, but in people. That difference still defines how business is done today.

Too many Western companies walk into Asia thinking a better product will win. It won’t. In relationship-driven markets, product is secondary to trust, and trust takes time. If you don’t understand the underlying philosophy, you misread the market before you even start. The opportunity isn’t just in what you sell, it’s in how you show up.

Why China & America Think DifferentlyIn this insightful explanation, Lee Kuan Yew compares the fundamental differences between United States and China.He arg...

27/04/2026

It’s easy to think big deals come from big presentations or pitches.

In reality, it’s the small things that matter most.

Being responsive. Following through. Respecting cultural differences. Communicating clearly.

These behaviours build trust over time.

And in global markets, trust is what drives decisions.

If you consistently get the basics right, you stand out.

That’s what leads to bigger opportunities.

23/04/2026

A lot of founders think getting a distributor solves everything.

It doesn’t.

A distributor is a partner you need to actively manage. That means proper onboarding, training, regular communication, and ongoing support.

The biggest mistake is stepping back too early.

When brands stay involved, distributors perform better. When they disappear, things stall.

If you treat the relationship properly, both sides win.

23/04/2026

What’s the difference between Billy Beane and me?

He was trying to win baseball games. I’m trying to win markets.

Same mindset though. Strip away the noise, ignore the crowd, and focus on one thing: what is something actually worth versus what the market thinks it’s worth? That gap is everything. Beane found it in players others overlooked. I find it in countries, distributors, and pricing structures others write off as “too hard” or “too expensive.”

And here’s the uncomfortable bit. As the world has got noisier, faster, and more m***e, (a nod to my French colleague's) you don’t win by being polite. You win by being precise. Ruthless with assumptions. Unemotional about decisions. A little mean, if we’re honest.

Because international business isn’t about following the market. It’s about seeing where the market is wrong, and moving before everyone else catches up.

Drop me a message. I’ll be mean to you. I promise.