The success of high-end restaurant chains like Carbone in diverse markets (Vegas, Riyadh) demonstrates a growing global connoisseur culture. This allows startups with a perfected product to expand internationally with only minor local adaptations, treating their brand as a form of intellectual property.

When an unexpected opportunity in an adjacent vertical arises, dedicate a small amount of effort (e.g., 5%) to explore it, even if it's not on the immediate roadmap. This low-cost probe provides invaluable market feedback on your product's readiness for future expansion without derailing current priorities.

When launching a product globally, it's crucial to maintain a consistent brand identity. Local teams often want to add their own spin, but there are far more similarities across markets than differences. A disciplined, consistent global brand strategy is more effective.

Instead of concentrating its sales force in one region, Deel hired individual salespeople in various countries early in its journey. This counterintuitive move, often criticized as defocusing, allowed the company to quickly test and understand multiple markets in parallel. This strategy was key to rapidly ramping up a global go-to-market motion with localized insights.

To manage a global business across diverse markets, build a single platform with enough built-in flexibility to meet local regulatory and cultural needs. This avoids the massive overhead of redeveloping features for each market or maintaining a complex, fragmented system.

Despite expanding beyond takeaways into retail and pharmaceuticals, Just Eat Takeaway keeps its name. The immense brand recognition is more valuable than a name that literally describes all its services. They educate customers on new offerings gradually, leveraging existing brand trust.

Instead of opening franchises in distant locations, a new franchisor should first build 5-10 locations within a few hours' drive. This strategy, used by successful franchises like Orangetheory, allows for better oversight, support, and testing of the model before a national rollout.

When rolling out global initiatives, co-create a solution with key markets that addresses 80% of needs. Intentionally leave 20% for local markets to customize, ensuring the strategy is both consistent and flexible enough to work in diverse environments.

A powerful startup strategy is to screenshot a successful app and use AI to rapidly generate a clone tailored to a new market. This "business arbitrage" allows founders to quickly test proven models in new geographies or vertical niches with minimal upfront development.